Secrets & Fortune
by Nymphchild
Summary: Archie meets a girl at the Carnival that is more than she appears. Can she help him figure out how to navigate and learn from his mistakes? Can he help her?
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first Tough Luck Fic. It is going to be twisty and fun…nothing is going to be what you think it is so keep your eyes peeled for clues **

**Please read and review. I update based on interest so if you want more please let me know through your reviews!**

**Chapter One:**

Archie walked through the carnival after closing, puffing on his stale smoke. He had only been there one day. The people here were strange…well they were carnies but he still thought they were odd. It wasn't even the Bearded Lady or the adjoined twins. He couldn't put him finger on it. The old man that he was walking with was telling him about the people that he asked about as they past, trying to figure out what their stories were.

He frowned and stopped suddenly in the grass as he watched another beautiful woman come out of one of the trailers, stepping to the side to let one of the maintenance men out. How many beautiful women were hidden in this shit hole anyway? She smiled at her companion and gave him a little peck on the cheek, touching his arm without saying anything as he handed her a hundred dollar bill. She touched his cheek with her slim little hand.

The old man stopped and looked over to where he was looking, his blue eyes focusing. "Ah, I see you've found Brie."

"Brie?" He repeated. She was a slim young woman, maybe in her early 20's with a head of light brown hair that slipped down her shoulders. Several cork screw curls fell around her face, clearly more natural than Diviana's. Her big green eyes were bright and almost innocent looking, though the cash being passed in between the man and herself was clearly not. He pulled his eyes away as she glanced over at them, feeling his eyes apparently, with a smile playing on her lips.

"Yeah," The old man offered him his bottle again and Archie too it quickly with a little pep in his step at the promise of the warm and fuzzy feeling it would give him. "Like the fancy cheese."

"What's her story?" Archie asked quietly as he tried to discreetly glance at her again. The mechanic was walking away and she was now staring right at Archie, her head cocked to the side curiously. He couldn't have looked at her without being noticed?

The old man laughed, taking a swig out of his bottle. "Brie's story…well, let's just say that whatever problems you have, little Brie there can make them go away for an hour." He winked and Archie looked back at the girl. She was still looking at him, the curiosity in her face now open.

"She's a whore?" He asked, taking another long drag of his cigarette.

The old man coughed. "Wouldn't say that in front of her!" He snickered. "She works the fortune tellers booth but she's basically like our little doctor. People have a problem they go to her. She's really… handy." Archie couldn't help but let out a little laughing smile. "I'm serious! She's quite the talented girl. But mark my words…she's not someone to cross."

Archie raised an eyebrow at him as they started to walk again. "What do you mean?" He asked, exhaling through his nose.

The old man shook his head. "Just something about her ya know? Like she can see right through you. Ike says he knew her daddy and he was physic. She'll read your mind if you let her."

Archie glanced over his shoulder, twitching the smoke in between his fingers. She was on the steps of her trailer now, going to open the door as she looked back at him again. One thing was for sure; he wasn't going to be able to look at her without getting caught.

Brie Minreo stepped back into her trailer, locking the door behind her as she looked at the completely made bed. She rubbed the hundred in between her fingers before bending down and pulling a small safe out. Taking the hundred she stuffed it into the box with the other bills, smiling to herself as she leaned back against the wall. She kicked the box away with her foot. Money…always such a dirty thing to deal with and so easy to get. Anything that was easy wasn't fun. It wasn't worth a thing compared to the chase to get at it and the other _rewards_ she got from her work.

Using both of her hands, she pulled her thick hair into a messy bun on the back of her head. This place was good. It was quiet and out of the way. It didn't draw attention and she liked that. She needed to get back into a city at some point but it was still too soon for that. The men here were easy…so lonely. They were the perfect marks. One simple phrase or word and they would spill their guts.

She leaned her head back against the wall, exposing her long, unmarked neck and looked at the ceiling. She would have to find out about that new one outside. The young one. He was handsome, a bit rough around the edges. It would be hard to bring him in…harder than the others here. She would do as she always did to protect herself…get as much information as she could. She started ticking off what she knew all ready.

Information point one: Smoked like a chimney. Oh there were so many things she could do and learn from that.

Information point two: Nervous. Twitchy. Figuring out why was always the fun part of those traits.

Pushing herself up, she walked to the small kitchen and took a long drink of water. It was getting less safe to be here. She knew that. She wasn't the only one running an operation here and if her profession had taught her anything it was when to get out and get out quick. Right before the hammer dropped. Until then, she just had to watch and wait. No one could know she was here or who she was.

Tilting her head to the side she cracked her neck. This was tiring. Not that she didn't like her honed and practiced skill set. She just really needed a new partner so that she could sleep once in a while.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the reviews guys! Please keep telling me what you think of Brie and Archie!**

**Chapter Two: **

Archie grunted and coughed as Charlie's fist hit him in the ribs again.

"Think we don't know what you're doing boy?" Jeff, one of the other booth attendants, yelled. "Think we don't see ya?"

Archie coughed and spit a bit of blood from his split lip onto the ground. "Don't know what you're talking about." He muttered, trying to block his face.

"Enough!" Came a voice from behind them. "Seriously guys? What the hell?" Brie asked, walking up in jeans and a white tank top. Her shift wasn't set to start for a few more hours so she didn't have to be dressed in the disturbingly stereotypical beads and fortune teller regalia.

Charlie glanced over his shoulder at her before curling his lip and give Archie one last kick in the ribs. He let out a pained noise as Brie pushed Charlie away, knowing that she probably couldn't have moved him with her small skinny body unless he was already resigned that he was done. "Little Bastard is stealing Brie!" He told her in annoyance.

"And that means that you should beat the shit out of him for 20 bucks? Come on!" Archie glanced up as she bent down to the ground beside him and pulled the few bills from his sock. "There. No harm done. Get back to work before I call for Ike."

Jeff frowned before spitting on the ground next to Archie. He whipped the blood from his lip as he watched Brie point at the man as if warding off anything he might say.

She sighed and looked down at him once the men were gone. "Anything broken?" She asked softly, the tone of her voice completely changing from commanding to comforting in a millisecond.

He shook his head making himself wince in pain. "Don't think so."

Brie nodded and resting her elbows on her knees. "You know…you're kind of an idiot for trying to lie about it when they already know. Come on…let's get you cleaned up." She told him offering her hand. Archie looked at it for a second and she laughed. "You're not going to get VD from my hand idiot." She joked a small, devilish smile playing of her delicate features.

Archie took it and let her pull him up with her. Without another word she led him over to the dark fortune tellers tent and pushed the curtain to the side. He followed her in, glancing around at the stereotypical structure.

Moving past the small table and cushioned chairs she reached into a trunk and pulled out a rag. She turned back to him and pushing it to his split lip. He was surprised by the gentleness of it. Now that he was standing closer to her he had a better chance to study her features. They were soft. He didn't expect them to be that soft and calm. Normally whores were a bit more jaded looking but everything about her looked like it was put on her face to make the on looker feel calm.

Her big green eyes darted up to his. "Hold it there." She told him. Archie brought his hand up to hold the rag as she moved back over to the trunk and pulled out some antiseptic ointment. "What's your name idiot?" She asked him with a little grin as she indicated the chair next to him.

"Archie." He muttered as he sat down and removed the rag to look at the blood on it. He put it back quickly.

Brie nodded and pulled the other chair over so that it was in front of him. "Alright Archie…and what do you do?"

Archie frowned and looked away. "I work one of the booths."

Brie smiled lightly, pushing her lips together to try and hide it. "What did you do before you came here is what I mean." She asked again. He put his fingers to his lip lip and looked away. "Something outside of the moral guide line set up by the United States Government?" She smiled wider at his nervous twitch. "Should I guess?"

Archie looked up at her with a small smirk. "If you're a physic do you really need to guess?" His smirk transformed into a nervous smile as she laughed. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the beaded bracelet he had snatched when she helped him up.

Brie took it from him with a grin, looping it back around her wrist. "Good…really good. I almost didn't feel it when you took it off."

His eyes widened a fraction. "You knew?" She nodded. "Why didn't you say anything?"

Brie looked down as she squeezed some of the ointment onto her finger. Glancing back up she saw that he was still looking at her, touching his lip in nervousness. Reaching out he took the hand away and put it on his knee before rubbing the ointment on the cut in his lip with her thumb. "I wanted to see if you'd give it back once I helped you; what kind of man you are."

* * *

Archie watched from his booth as the customers started to file in. He had a good view of the fortune tellers tent from out his position. Most of the other booths only left their callers outside, drawing in a crowd but he could see Brie standing outside of hers, leaning against one of the thick ropes. She was dressed like a fortune teller now, the black, almost transparent shirt completely off her shoulders. A black and dark purple scarf tied over her head with beading that matched the bracelet she was wearing matching the long skirt that hung over her legs. One long slit ran all the way up to her slim thigh, exposing it when he leaned back.

Her face wa the most interesting. Her huge green eyes darted around, watching customers walking around talking…she smiled from time to time, as if she knew a secret.

Archie frowned as he handed balls to one of the customers, still cat calling and encouraging them as he watched. Brie locked eyes with a man and Archie could see her just barely gesture to the tent, her entire body language luring. The man went over instantly, drawn in as if by some irritable force. He went into the tent first, followed by Brie. She glanced over at Archie with that devilish smile, as if asking if he had picked up on her.

Brie lured and pulled various people into the booth for the night: Men, women…the spirits didn't discriminate. She smirked to herself at the thought before pushing down what he knew was her own nervous twitch and looking at the man in front of her. She had seen him walking, seen how he moved. It was easy.

Dealing the tarot cards out in front of her, she looked at them for a few long moment, closing her eyes as she placed her hands over them and tilted her head back, making a show of it. "I feel positive energy radiating around you." She whispered, her voice laced with mystery and divinity. "And…prosperity. I new job is coming for you."

"That's right!" The man said excitedly, leaning forward.

"I see more than a job…a career." She said looking back at the cards as if they told her something. She didn't need the cards. She had the man. "I see your new wife. She is going to be very happy with this new job. You will be successful in it."

The man nodded at her excitedly. "That's just what I wanted to know! Thank you!"

He reached out but he leaned back in her chair, seeing the powdered sugar from funnel cakes on his hands. "I can not be touched, the spirits will not speak to me if I am." She said with a small smile before standing and guiding him out of the tent. She pushed the flap back. "May the spirits go with you." She told the man.

"Wow." Archie said walking up from behind the tent where he had been listening and watching the man leave. "Laying it on a little thick there." He took the smoke out of his mouth and looked at her.

Brie bowed her head slightly, clasping her hands in a fake motion of reverence. "I merely say what they tell me too." She laughed. "How about you Archie? Would you like me to tell you your future?"

Archie gave her a quick once over before shrugging. "Why not?"

Brie smiled and led him into the tent, stepping in before him this time. All of the others had gone in before her. It wa darker than it had been earlier that day. He could smell lavender in the air. "Sit." She told him and he took the chair that he had used when she had taken care of his lip.

Brie sat down in the chair, lifting one of her legs to rest bent up against it. His eye darted over her slim, toned thigh than back down to his own knees.

"Don't you um, need to use the cards or whatever?" He asked, feeling her eyes burning into him, heavily lidded in the dark black coal.

Brie tilted her head to the side as he looked at him. "Do you want me to use the cards?" She asked. "I don't need them, you're right in front of me."

She grinned eyes his eyes shot up to her, confused and shyly nervous. She reached out and took his hand turning it palm up. His arm went limp and let her. She looked at his hand for a moment, playing her part. "You grew up hard…making what you wanted happen." She finally started, thinking about all the things she had seen of him. "You started young. And dispite the fact that you grew up in a deceitful world you still trust people too much." She looked up at his face and the slight cut. "Its caused you trouble." He brought his right fingers up to his lips and she knew that he was right. "Woman most of all. You think that they all need help and you want to." She thought about how he had kept looking at the snake ladies tent. "But it will hurt you even more than the men." She put his hand down on the table.

Archie cleared his throat. "I guess that thing about the spirits not liking if you were touched is bull shit." He finally said rubbing his lip.

"Take your hand away from your mouth idiot." She told him sharply. She couldn't help it. He just gave so much away! He dropped it immediately. "The spirits don't like when middle aged men get powdered sugar on me and I have to do laundry too soon."

He let out a little smile amused. "Aren't you meant to tell me happy things?" She rasied a dark eyebrow at him in question. "Every person I saw coming out of here had a big smile on their face. You just told me I was a sucker."

Brie leaned back in the chair and pulled up a bottle of vodka. She took a long swig and held it out for him. "People come to fortune tellers for good news…not for the truth." She watched as he took a took a drink from the bottle, his throat working. "Did you want me to lie to you Archie?"

Archie leaned back and looked at her, passing the bottle over the small round table back to her. "Kind of getting the impression that you already are." He told her though there was a small smile.

Brie raised an eyebrow at him playfully. "Well at least you have that going for you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Melissa: Lol! That's exactly what I thought of too. That and his face when he's laying on that blanket in the field. Love me some Archie!**

**Hey all! I've been trying to figure out which fan fic I want to do next (We all know it will be a Reedus one ) Any requests or thoughts? PM me! Please!**

**Please Please Review if you are reading this story! Let me know that you like it so I dont give up on it!**

**Chapter Three:**

"How many?" Archie asked, peeking up over his cards at Brie. She was looking to her side, watching and man moving with a silver brief case. She pursed her lips together and looked back at him. "Brie how many do you want?"

"Two?" She said. Archie laughed when it came out as a question. "I don't get this game."

Archie bit the side of his lip as he watched her eyes dart along the cards and her tongue move across her full pink lip. "You're a physic right?"

"So they tell me." She grumbled.

Archie shook his head. "Than playing poker should be easy for you."

Brie looked at him closely as he glanced down at the two cards that he had picked up himself. She didn't need to lift hers. She had nothing…but so did he. His fingers went to his chin and rubbed, his eyes darted to the deck. His other hand twitched and he looked behind him as if he heard something, trying to draw her attention to it. "Don't cheat." She told him.

Archie's eyes shot back to her and she focused on his face with a scowl and accusing green eyes. "What?"

"You're going to cheat." She said solidly.

"And how do you know that?" He asked defensively. He felt like he was going to get his face torn up again.

Brie's eyes softened on him. "Like you said. I am a physic." She teased.

His eyebrows furrowed together. "Don't you trust anyone Brie?" He asked her with a grin.

"No." She told him. "And neither should you. Now if you don't have anything, fold."

Archie frowned and folded his cards, waiting for her to show hers. She did and he glared at her. "You don't have anything either!"

Brie gave him her devilish little grin and he felt his pulse start to pound. He couldn't tell if it was from fear or just because it was so…attractive. "I never said I did." She told him, sliding her arm across the table to sweep the change that they were betting into her shirt. "This was easier than I thought! Dad should have let me play."

Archie leaned back in the bench and lit up a smoke. "Your dad?" He asked curiously. She never let anything personal slip. He was interested, amused at the look of shock that came over her face at her saying it.

"Forget it." Brie muttered quickly, standing up as Charlie came over, unintentionally saving her from herself and from Archie's adorable curiosity.

"Brie Baby." Charlie said. "You think I can have some time with you tonight?"

"Um, yeah." She turned fully to the older man, taking his hand. "How about right now? I have some time." Charlie nodded quickly, pulling her hand lightly to guide her out of the tent.

Archie watched, picking up the cards and pulling the one that was in his sleeve out, still not taking his eyes from Brie as she placed her other hand on Charlie's arm.

* * *

Archie glanced up as he saw Brie walk down the lanes of the carnival talking with Ike quietly. The old man nodded and clamped a hand on her shoulder as they spoke. She looked up and saw him sitting there with a smoke in his hand and couldn't help but smile and the instant awareness that shot through him.

Turning her attention back to Ike she lowered her voice more. "How much longer do you think?" She asked the older man.

"Longer than you want." Ike told her. "You can't rush these things Brie. You know this." She nodded and he reached out a hand and grabbed her arm. "You know…if you are bored here I can find more useful things for you to do."

Brie looked carefully down at where his hand encircled her bicep, holding her tightly. She wasn't strong. She didn't need to be physically strong. That wasn't her niche. These macho men…they never did know how to touch a woman. Glancing in front of her she saw Archie stand, his eyes locked on the hand holding her. She cleared her throat. "You know he wouldn't like that very much Ike." She murmured threateningly. "Now, you might want to let me go before you draw any more attention."

Ike glanced over and finally noticed Archie who looked down quickly, putting his smoke back to his lips. Ike made a noise of acknowledgement. "You just keep your head down." He said pointing at her. "I may have agreed to let you stay here but that doesn't mean I am going to be responsible and have my arms cut off if you run off." With that he moved away from her, passing Archie who glanced up at him from under his eyebrows with a nod.

"Not like you had much choice in the matter." She muttered to herself. Brie shook her head. "Hey Idiot." She called over to him, drawing his blue eyes up to her again. "You dropped something." He tossed his lighter to him.

"Oh come on Brie, what the hell? I've been looking all over for this." He complained as he walked up to her. When did she even get close enough to him to get it?

"Consider it payback." She told him shaking the beads on her wrist.

Archie grunted and leaned back against the booth behind them, watching as she mimicked the move almost to a t. "She what was that?" He asked. "With Ike?"

Brie pushed a strand of curly hair behind her ear as she looked straight a head, eyes following the path that the man had taken. "Just…discussing the length of my contract." She told him with a little smile.

Archie looked down at her bare arm where the other man had gripped so tightly. "Looked like he was pretty determined to make you stay." He muttered as he blew smoke out of his nose. He scratched at his chin with his thumb as he said it, watching her face remain calm and cool, as though they were talking about the weather.

Brie glanced at him. The hands on the face again? Really? For a pick pocket and by the looks of the mark on his face, a want to be card shark, he had more tells than a kid who had snuck a look at his Christmas presents. "Its not his call to make. I answer to a…higher authority."

Archie chuckled. "Your spirits?" He joked.

Brie smiled at their feet before looking up at him. "Sure…my _spirits." _She pushed herself up and off the booth. He didn't know what spirits were really plaguing her. One of them was definitely named Ike though.

* * *

"My friend. My friend." Ike said as he came into the trailer later that night. "You have been here three weeks yes?" Archie leaned against the frame of the interior of the trailer and nodded slowly. "You like it yes?" Ike asked, pouring him a drink.

"Yeah I guess." Archie said. "Pays good, people are alright…besides your wife always trying to kill me." He took the shot as Ike chuckled. Last night Nadia had come at Ike with a gun and smacked Archie around a bit. Brie had taken care of his re-split lip and shaken her head at him, asking if he was always going to be getting into trouble.

"Yes, for this I call you here." Ike told him as he unlocked the safe, looking at the boy carefully. "For this you need to relax." He held out a bill to him. "Go now…to little Brie."

"Brie?" Archie asked, rubbing the bill in his fingers.

Ike gestured with the cigar in between his fingers. "You are friends are you not? I see you looking at her. Go now. She will relieve your stress. This is my apology to you."

Archie frowned and looked at the bill. Yeah, Brie was his friend. They played and joked. She was funny as hell and liked her puzzles. She stole things away from him and he would pick her pocket, trading them back at the end of the day with smirks over who had gotten the most difficult thing. She was fucking beautiful too. Maybe more than Ike's crazy wife. Still there was something about her, about the way that she looked at him and other people that scared the living shit out of him sometimes.

"Archie." He looked up to see Ike's face serious. "It is a gift but I will know if you don't go to her."

Archie nodded and gulped down before taking another shot and standing up. "Yeah um…thanks man."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Archie took a breath as he stood outside the door of Brie's trailer. He had never paid for sex before…why would he? It's not like he could get any girl that he wanted but he could get by. It's not like he could get Brie without playing for it. Besides ever instinct in him was telling him to stash the money. Still he didn't want Ike to find out. That man already had too many suspicions about him. He knocked on the door to her trailer and waited for a moment, shifting on his feet and shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah?" Her voice called after a minute.

"Hey its me!" He called back in, before considering. She had a lot of men in this trailer. 'Me' probably wasn't going to cut it. "Archie."

"Come on in." Her voice laughed. Glancing around he ducked into the short door and looked around. The interior of her trailer didn't look like her tent. It was well kept and neat. He looked around to try and see if he could find anything personal. He couldn't find it but it still looked comfortable. There were pillows in muted colors on the sofa and around the kitchen. The one thing about the trailer that was the same as the tent was its smell; lavender.

"And of course I know it's you." She joked from the back room.

Glancing back past the small kitchen, Archie's eyes found the crack of the door and looked through it, catching a good view of a long back and the swell of her breasts on the side before she pulled a green silk robe over her shoulders. "I hope it's not too late." He tried so that she would get suspicious of him peeping. He didn't know why he was worried considering the bill in his pocket. He sat on the comfortable soft sofa but remained leaning forward to watch as she tied the sash across her slender waist.

She twisted her curly hair up and back, clipping it with her back to him. "I've always got a few minutes for my favorite idiot." She joked back. He tore his eyes away from the door as she glanced back and made to come out.

Archie looked down at his hands as she came out, pretending that he hadn't been looking.

"Do you want something to drink?" Brie asked when she saw him lean his forearms on his knees.

"Sure yeah." He said, looking up as she moved into the tiny kitchette and reached up to grab a bottle from the shelf. He rubbed his lip, seeing her stretch for it, taking in her ass under the clingy material….great little ass.

Brie came over to him and sat down on the table that was across from him, pouring out two shots and handing one over to him. Just the smallest amount of cleavage was showing in the V of her robe but it was the hallow of her throat that made him shift his legs as he took the shot from her hand, perfect and working as she took the shot herself in between her defined collarbones. He could picture his lips in there, nipping at that spot as they would be in a few minutes.

Brie watched him with a little frown as he watched her and then took the shot, looking away nervously as he did. She licked her bottom lip. "What can I do for you tonight Archie?" She asked him, swinging her leg gently.

Archie glanced at the movement before looking up at her. "I um, I don't know how to start this." He told her.

Brie furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Start what?" She asked. Archie reached into his pocket and pulled out the hundred dollar bill. Her eyes widened and throat worked for a minute. He could see her pulse pounding in the side of her neck. "Is that what you want?" She asked him.

Archie rubbed his lip again as his eyes caught hers. "I um," His eyes caught hers again, drawn into the big green orbs. He was surprised at himself. Yeah she was hot but he found that he wanted her to want it too. "I guess…Ike said I was stressed."

"Ike." She repeated, her lips pursing together. He nodded quickly and watched as she got off the table, coming forward to him. She knelt in front of him for a moment and he couldn't look away, the few curls that refused to be confined to the pony tail framing her face. She put on hand on his knee and gave him a soft smile. The touch wasn't sexual surprisingly and he felt himself relaxing and her thumb drew slow circles on the outside of his knee. "Did Ike give you that money Archie?" She asked quietly.

"Does that matter?" He gulped down as he said it.

Brie bit into the inside of her lip, trying not to frown yet. "Yes." Slowly he nodded, still looking down. He wanted to lean down, kiss her, bring her up to him. "He gave you that money to come and see me?" Again Archie nodded, beginning to reach out.

To his utter shock she grabbed the bill and stood straight up, that comforting face gone and now angry. "You tell Ike that I'm coming to see him. Now get out."

"What?" Archie asked bewildered, rising from the couch.

Brie starred at him hard. "I said get out."

Archie frowned and looked at her questioningly. "But I thought-"

Brie gritted her teeth. "Well you thought wrong stud."

Brie stormed out of her trailer, fully dress, a half hour later. Archie glanced up from where he was hiding in the shadows smoking a cigarette and watched the angry, purposeful steps. Tossing his smoke to the ground he followed her slowly, ducking behind tents and ropes to keep himself out of the angry girls sight.

She banged on the door to Ike's trailer, calling out his name angrily. Archie leaned back and watched as she hulled the bill at the man.

"What the hell was that!?" She yelled at the older man.

Ike sushed her and beckoned her into the trailer. She followed him in and slammed the door behind her. Archie slipped over and leaned against the back, listening through the barely open window.

"So what was the plan Ike?!" Brie yelled. "Have him come to me and then tell me that you paid for it?"

"Brie darling. Lets just calm down and think this through." Ike muttered to her. "Shot?" He asked offering one out to her.

Brie took the glass and launched it to the floor at his feet. "I have no problem with fishing your customers with a few cheap tricks but if you want me to start reading your own people than we have a problem!"

Ike shrugged. "I don't see any problem."

Brie grabbed her hair at her scalp. "God your accent drives me insane!" She hissed at him. "You sound like a Bond villain knock off!"

"I don't see what your problem is…with any of it." Ike said pouring another shot and not dropping his accent in the slightest. "It is what you do is it not?"

"Not when they are my friends and not when they think they are going to really get laid!" Brie shot at him. "If you want to know someone's dirty little quirks then you find them!"

Archie frowned from outside of the trailer, not understanding. What did Ike want to know? How would Brie find that out by sleeping with him? The only thing that he could come up with was that Ike was some kind of demented freak…but that was just weird.

Brie stepped into Ike, lowering her voice dangerously. "Next time you try and run a scam on me Ike…you are going to be very, very sorry." She told him, making the man gulp. "Don't think I don't know exactly what's going on…and don't you dare think that I don't have an insurance policy." She stepped away from him and took his bottle, taking a chug out of it as she moved towards the door of the trailer. "And leave the boy alone!" She yelled at him as she left, slamming the door behind her.

Archie frowned as he watched her walk away, taking deep chugs out of the bottle as she walked. Once it was empty she hurled it against one of the walls outside of her trailer and moved to go back inside.

"Brie?" One of the men said coming up to her.

Brie turned to Connor, one of the men that worked another booth and took a deep breath. "Not a good night for me Connor." She told him with a sighed, sticking her hands into the back of her jean pockets. Connor shifted and sighed, brushing his eyes with the back of his hands. Brie gave a slow nod. "Okay…okay I'm sorry. Come on in sweetheart." She told him.

Archie frowned and followed up to her trailer again, lighting up a smoke and trying to relax and think things through. There was something going on. Something he hadn't figured out.

After he was finished with the cigarette, as quietly as he could he pushed over one of the wooden boxes on the ground and climbed on top of it, peeking into her bedroom window. He furrowed his eyebrows.

Brie was sitting on her bed with Connor, both still fully dressed. The man was speaking to her with tears in his eyes as Brie put a hand on his knee, or arm, or chest. Sometimes when he seemed to be having the most trouble getting his words out she would run her hand along his cheek causing the story he was telling about his latest phone call with his ex wife about not being able to see his daughter to just spill from his lips.

Brie would nod, touch him gently, sometimes say a comforting word. She would encourage him with facial expressions or terms of endearment. When the man left he wasn't crying anymore, a weight lifted off of him.

Archie leaned against the back of the trailer. She was definitely the strangest whore ever.


	5. Chapter 5

**elephantsin1: Thank you! I am glad that you are enjoying it! Please continue to read and review letting me know what you think.**

**Melissa: Thank you so much for that review Melissa because that kind of thing really does hurt a persons self esteem and lust to write. I wish people would think before hitting the comment button. I have removed that review because it was kind of mean and didn't actually say anything about this story. You want to be strong and not care but the truth is that you do. **

**coconutcarter: Lol can't you just see Archie all twitchy and what not in that trailer not knowing how to bring it up? I can can it cracks me up! **

**gurl3677: Lol!**

**Chapter 5:**

"Brie!"

She turned around at the sound of Archie calling her name and frowned as he hurried up to her across the grounds. "Not now idiot."

Archie grimaced as he walked up to her and started to keep pace at her side. "First thing, you know my name so stop calling me idiot. Second…you want to tell me what that was about last night?"

Brie glanced to her side at him. "You're a smart guy, supposedly. Figure it out yourself_ idiot_." She muttered, veering to the side and away from him towards the cars.

He frowned and watched her get into one of the trucks and start it up. The ignition clicked for a moment before it actually started. "Dammit." He muttered to himself.

"She is a frisky one yes?" Came Nadia's voice from beside him.

Archie watched as she put her arm behind the passenger's seat and pulled out. "Yeah I guess she is." He muttered looking at the other woman.

"I have been thinking about your offer." Nadia told him quietly.

Archie looked at her for a moment, remembering Brie's motto. _ Don't trust anyone…beautiful woman will only hurt you…more than the men. _He frowned to himself and put it to the back of his mind. "Yeah. Let's talk about it."

* * *

Brie pulled into the small town and parked the stalling old truck next to one of the pay phones. Getting out and into the hot sun she looked around, checking to make sure that no one was there watching her. She pushed herself into the steaming booth and closed the door so that only a crack of air could come through. Reaching into her jeans she pulled out a few of the quarters that she had lifted from Archies pocket as he rushed up to her side that morning.

She leaned against the warm glass and waited as the country code dialed out. "Daddy s'il vous plait." She told the French Canadian secretary that answered the phone. She was immediately put on hold and waited not too patiently as she popped more quarters into the rusting old machine.

"Brie? Land Line?" A male voice finally came.

"Pay phone." She told him. "Dad I need to get out of here." She told him. "Ike is…being Ike."

"Jesus." Her father muttered. "Brie how many times do we need to have this conversation? Keep low. You blew it."

"I didn't blow anything…Tommy did." She told him solidly. "Ike wants me to read his marks. He tried to trick me into it last night!"

Her father sighed irritably. "Ike might be an idiot Brie but that stupid excuse for a front is the only safe place I can think of for you to stay until we can-"

"Can what?" Brie asked. "Get me a new identity? I can do that in 20 minutes daddy and you know it. And you can be damn sure it's better than a fortune teller at some shitty back woods carnival."

"You've never been in a rush before." Her father said as she slipped another quarter into the payphone.

Brie bit her lip. That was true. She had lain low for months when she had to. She did not want to tell her father, the best of the best, that she, his one and only daughter and best student, was about to get blown by a second rate pick pocket. "I just really don't like him." She told her father about Ike. "He's crude."

"So are you." Her father put in dryly. "Head down, eyes open. You know the rules Brie. I know you don't want to have someone go in and change that perfect little face of yours."

Brie let out a little breath. "Yeah, fine. Whatever." She muttered like an indignant teenager.

"And do not even think about running a game!" Came the command. Their conversations always ended with that.

Brie blew a stand of hair from her face as she felt sweat from being in the hot phone booth start to form on her skin. "Fine." Like she couldn't not run a game.

* * *

Archie inhale deep from where he stood behind the fortune tellers tent later that night. Brie was not being her normal theatrical self tonight. He could see that clearly from where he spied from a crack within her tent. She wasn't hustling people into the tent, wasn't luring them. She leaned back in her chair and shuffled the cards in between her long fingers but didn't bother to lay them down. She just looked at the people for a while, dark eyes probing, before telling them their fortune.

Brie leaned back and propping her knee up casually. Her customers eyes darted up her leg. "Your wife is cheating on you." She said calmly to the man sitting in front of her.

Archie furrowed his eyebrows. So much for telling people what they wanted to hear.

"I knew it!" The man yelled. "Who with!? Is it Damien? It has to be Damien!"

"Sure." Brie muttered. "Her yoga instructor right?"

"Pilaties!" The man stood up angrily and went to storm out.

"Hey. Hey!" Brie called after him. "My fee? The spirits might tell me secrets but they don't put food on the table." The man moved back and tossed a few bills on the table before storming out of the tent. "Have a nice night." She muttered under her breath.

Archie frowned and pushed himself through the slit in the tent, drawing her eyes to him over her shoulder. She sighed and leaned more into the pillowed chair as he came around and awkwardly sat down in the vacated chair. "Okay how did you do that? Really?" He asked as she put the cards down.

"Still haven't figured it out?" She asked him, not looking at him but continuing to shuffle her cards. "Maybe I shouldn't have worried about you."

Archie frowned and leaned forward. "You're not a physic. There's no such thing…so how did you just do that?" He tried.

Brie glanced up at him as she got up. Archie tapped his fingers on his knee, trying to figure out what she did, how she saw. Brie licked her lips and finally looked him in the eye. A pit stirred in his stomach from her intensity.

"People are easy Archie. That guy? Mr. Suburbia? He wasn't wearing his wedding ring but there was a line on his finger. He looked at my leg when I put it up and shifted in his seat like he wanted to move forward. He's cheating on his wife or wants to cheat."

Archie furrowed his eyebrows. "But you've never seen his wife. How do you know she's cheating on him?"

"I don't. But he's cheating and people who are cheating generally seem to be defensive." She told him.

"But the piliaties instructor…"

Brie shook her head. "He told me about Damien…I just played the odds that his suburban wife who he leaves alone while he's at work and goes to look for tail goes to an athletic class. It's all about the odds." She told him getting ready to leave for the night. She watched as he followed her out of the tent, still ready to ask questions.

"You're not a whore though." He said, following her through the aisles of ropes.

Brie smiled slightly to herself as she walked in front of him. "And how do you know that Archie?"

Archie followed after her quickly, jumping over one of the ropes to keep up. "Because I saw Connor crying last night in your trailer. Unless you're really bad that wouldn't have happened."

Brie laughed. "Or really good."

Archie grinned and reached out. She could very well be that good. He imagined her being that good. Grabbing her hand he pulled her to a stop and back to face him. "And if you were a whore you would have taken my money last night and showed me how good."

Brie narrowed her big eyes at him before pushing up on her toes and grabbing the collar of his shirt to bring him down to her. She pressed her lips lightly to his and waiting for his other hand to find her waist after he got over his shock. He did quickly, rough hand finding her side and moving his chapped but soft lips with hers. She let her tongue dart out and licked his bottom lip. He opened for her without a second thought and tangled his tongue around hers, letting go of her wrist and bringing his hand to her hair.

Archie felt the intensity in it just like he did in her probing eyes. She was warm and soft, feeling almost frail in his arms. She was weak and strong at the same time, passion over powering her need for physical strength. It was awesome and he pulled her hips closer to his as he felt blood rushing down in him.

Just as his breathing became a pant from his nose across her cheek Brie pulled her lips away, looking at his closed eyes as his fingers dropped to her neck. "You owe me twenty bucks." She whispered as she stepped back from him and turned.

Archie stared after her retreating form in shock. "What the hell!" He yelled after her, getting a laugh in return.

"I charge interest Idiot." She yelled back.


	6. Chapter 6

**Melissa: Lol. It's a good cover for her as we will find out later in the story. **

**NikixXx: Thanks for reading. **

**Gurl: Lol we all know we'd pay a lot more than 20 bucks for that. Mr. Reedus missed his calling as an escort. :P**

**Coconutcarter: I am always up for a Reedus Movie Marathon. I wish that there was some way that all of my internet friends could be in my area at once so we could just have a Reedus Marathon!**

**Chapter Six:**

Archie took a deep inhale of his smoke as he spotted Brie laying on a blanket in the middle of the field. He shook his head at himself before walking over towards her, stopping and standing over her little body as she lay back in the grass with a book held over her.

She played with one of the pages corners, trying to force the small smile down as she caught him starring at her over the corner of her eye. She turned them back to the page, not really reading the words anymore.

Archie frowned when she didn't acknowledge him right away and cleared his throat.

"Did you bring my money?" She asked him, the smile breaking free over her lips though she still wasn't looking at him.

Archie tossed the remainder of the smoke to the side and plopped down on the blanket next to her. "You know…it was you that kissed me without warning. I think it's you that owes me twenty bucks."

Brie snorted a laugh as she put the book down and turned her head to look at him. "Really now? I don't think that kiss was worth twenty dollars."

Archie glanced over at her. She hadn't seemed to mind it at the time or think there was anything wrong with it. If her point was just to startle him she could have moved away before he had buried his tongue inside of her. "You took me by surprise." He countered. "And either way. Twenty is a bit high for just a kiss."

Brie shot him a playfully dirty look. "Really…cause you seemed to enjoy it a lot." Archie frowned. She couldn't have known that. He had kept his hips far enough away…she laughed at his discomfort. "Archie…idiot. You're breathing picked up, muscles tensed. It was pretty obvious."

"How do you know this stuff?" He finally asked. "How to read people so well?"

Brie bit down on her lip. She should not be telling him these things. She should just get up and walk away but the way he was looking at her showed no malice, just curiosity. "It's my job." She muttered, looking back up at the night sky.

Archie watched her for a minute before leaning back on his elbows and looking up himself. "I'm ummm…I'm sorry I assumed you were…you know." He shifted when she didn't say anything back. "Its just all of those guys coming into your trailer. I guess I just thought-"

"Its okay." Brie glanced to her side at him. She had just meant it to be a slight sidelong look at him but his blue eyes caught onto hers and dragged her into a longer look. "The men in this place don't want to say they are in 'therapy'. Jeff said that he had slept with me when he got caught one night coming to talk and it just kind of picked up from there. It's a good cover though."

Archie nodded slowly and glanced down at the blanket in between them. Yeah, a good cover for everyone except him. "So your job…not as a fortune teller I take it?"

Brie gave a little smile and rolled onto her side to face him. "No." She said simply. She reached out and put her hand on his upper arm. He watched it a moment before his visibly relaxed under her hand. "Calm Archie…don't be stressed." She said in a quiet voice.

Archie let out a little breath and glanced up at the small smile that graced her soft lips. "How do you do that?"

Brie looked at her hand. "There are just places on a person, ways of touching them that are hard wired to promote comfort. Just like there are places that trigger stress, euphoria, arousal…anything." She frowned at herself. She was no teacher and he was not her student. He could be. He had the skill just not the know-how. She took her hand away, shaking her head at her own stupidity and pushed herself up. "I'm going to take off for the night." She told him as she got to her feet.

Archie frowned. "Already? Why?" He knew why. The truth was too close for comfort.

Brie poured herself a cup of tea once the kettle whistled and sat down on the sofa in her trailer, right where Archie had been sitting. She looked at the picture of Tommy in her hand that she had pulled from the box. Tommy had been great. 6 foot 2 inches with an angular face and innocent, sweet looking brown eyes. He could catch anyone as well as she could. She'd stayed with him longer than she had any other person. She had felt comfortable with him as her partner. The fact that he was gay helped but he had been good…too good. Cocky even. Just like her 'idiot'.

Archie could be a good partner if he had the right training. But he didn't. He thought he was the best pick pocket in the world but he still had all of his little tells and couldn't read a mark to save his life. She slipped the picture onto the sofa next to her and brought her legs up as she sipped at the tea. Besides, Archie was too attracted to her to really make a reliable partner. If she admitted it to herself she liked him too much too. Loyalty could only be to one person and the only loyalty she had was to her father.

She let out a breath and stood up, running her hands through her hair. She didn't want to think about this anymore. She just had to stay away from him. He was getting too close. It was her job to get under peoples skin and into their head. Not to have hers invaded by a pair of stunning blue eyes.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry about the delay guys but here are two new chapters to make up for it!**

**Chapter Seven:**

Archie leaned over his booth and watched Brie taking care of one of the customers as they walked out of the tent. Her hand was on the woman's arm as she spoke to her with a little smile on her face. She reached out and put her hand on the woman's stomach with her head bowed down seemingly, saying a prayer.

He rubbed his lip as he watched. She'd been avoiding him for three days. Sometimes it seemed easy for her, but sometimes he caught her glancing over her shoulder at him. When he looked up into her eyes she would look away or down at the ground, not willing to admit it.

He kept replaying that kiss over and over again in his head: the way her lips felt, the way her fingers gripped into his shirt. He'd think about her kneeling in front of him, her fingers running circles along his knee. He would remember the feel of her little hand touching his bicep, the soft touch only barely skimming the outside of the muscle.

He stood up straight as she walked by, putting his smoke back into his mouth. Watching her pass him without looking, he hid the cashbox under the bench and pulled himself up and over it into the aisle.

Brie knew he was watching her the moment she turned a corner. She rolled her eyes as she heard his shoes moving on the ground. She turned suddenly and grabbed his hand right as he went to take off her necklace, her fingers wrapped around his wrist, staying him. "Don't think so Archie." She told him.

Archie gave her a charming, boyish smile. "What no 'Idiot' for me?" He asked cheekily.

Brie shook her head and released his wrist. "You are so…bad." She told him, turning to continue her path to the food tent.

Archie followed her quickly. "Then show me how to be better. You're a con artist right?"

Brie's eyes widened and she turned to him quickly. "Keep your voice down idiot." She hissed at him.

Archie grinned. That was just the reaction that he had wanted. "Teach me." He told her.

Brie narrowed her eyes at him dangerously. "Are you blackmailing me Archie?" She asked in a low voice, stepping into him. Archie shook his head, gulping down as he felt the warmth of her body. "No? You better not be. If you really want to know all you have to do watch and learn." She whispered. She ran her hand up his chest, following it with her eyes. "Seduction is easy." She told him quietly, feeling his heart beat picking up under her hand. "Anyone in a short skirt can seduce a man. It's the rest that's… hard."

Archie watched her face as her eyes stayed on her hand and then darted back up to his. He briefly thought about Nadia and how she touched him, frowning to himself as Brie played the same trick on him again. "Then why don't you just use it if it's so easy?" Honestly the only person he had actually seen her seduce was him. He'd never seen her playing sexual tricks on anyone else.

"It's too easy. And it's crude. I prefer something with a bit more skill." Brie smiled at his confused face. "And I'm not a Con artist. I'm a grifter."

"There's a difference?" Archie asked quietly, finding that if he increased his volume his voice would break.

Brie smiled to herself before removing her hand and nodding. "Oh yeah. A con artist does something simple and dirty, whether its sex or slitting someone's throat. A grifter…well we're in it for the longer game."

She couldn't help telling him. She had never taught before. It wasn't her thing but Archie had the face of a charming young man that wanted to do nothing more than please you…but then you'd wake up the next morning and he would be gone with all your jewelry and your safety deposit box key. She liked that. "Just watch me." She muttered as she stepped back and continued her walk to the food tent.

"No problem there." He muttered to himself. Archie let out a long breath before fishing in his pocket for his pack of smokes and his lighter. Finding them empty he looked forward as Brie held them up over her retreating back. "Son of a bitch." He murmured with a small smile. He needed to keep more of an eye on her anyway.

* * *

"There." Brie told Archie.

He glanced up from his ledger at the end of the day and saw Charlie rubbing the back of his neck. "He's nervous." Archie muttered.

Brie smiled at him from her spot before slapping his hand away from his mouth. "Don't look right at him." She laughed. "What's he nervous about?"

Two days ago he would have asked her how the hell he was meant to know that. Now he was watching and looking. Charlie drummed his fingers along the hard wood in front of him, much like the counter that Brie's cute little butt was sitting on right now. "His…tally's coming up short."

Brie nodded at him. She wasn't going to get into the fact that his tally being short combine with his nervousness probably meant the Ike wasn't nearly as nice as Archie thought he was. But she wasn't ready for him to make those leaps yet. "Good."

Archie leaned farther onto the counter with his elbows propping him up, looking at her closely. "So you're…hyper observent. I get that." He told her. "But what I don't get is how you make people do what you want."

Brie smiled to herself. "Never under estimate the power of suggestion Archie." She tilted her head to the side to look down at him. "You'll get there. For now just chill and watch."

Archie pursed his lips together and looked at her. He didn't have a problem with that. Yeah, he was fustraited that she was taking it slow and treating him like a kid but he didn't mind watching her, observing with her. She had a distinctive way that she moved and looked at things. It was gorgeous and manipulative at the same time, a lethal combination. She was like a snake in the grass, watching, coiled, waiting for some unseen sign to strike. "How did you learn all this?" He asked, making her dark eyes turn to him.

Brie's tongue darted out against her bottom lip, something he was beginning to recognize as her reaction when she was thinking about what to say. More specifically something she did when she was trying to hide the whole truth. "Same as you." She told him, maintaining eye contact. "I watched, I waited, I observed." She nodded back over to Charlie. "Before you start getting people to reveal their secrets in words you have to pick up on the ones you can without talking to them." She rubbed her hands together. "People lie…but their bodies don't, not unless they know what they're doing." She muttered the last part while pulling her knee up to her chest as Nadia and Ike walked by.

Archie straightened as the raven haired dancer walked by.

Brie frowned and watched as Nadia looked at him shyly before turning away quickly. She licked her lip before looking at her hands where she was spinning his golden lighter in between her fingers. "And now she'll let her hair fall into her face and glance over her shoulder at you for no more than two seconds. Just enough to make eye contact like an innocent little doe." Archie let his lips part as Nadia did just as Brie said, down to letting her hair fall in her eyes. "Then she looks away quickly so that you know she's in trouble and you could be her savior."

Archie rubbed his lips as Nadia looked down at the ground and away. "What the hell?" He muttered at the girl next to him.

Brie shrugged. "Damsel in distress. Oldest trick in the book Idiot." She muttered, letting the lighter come to rest on top of her fingers.

Archie leaned forward, looking at Brie closely. "Maybe she really is in trouble. Maybe you're just jaded." He said.

Brie looked at him sharply, knowing that he was at least right about the second part. "If you fall for that trick, you're the one who's going to be in trouble." She tossed the lighter up for him to catch and pushed herself off the counter top. "Just pay attention and you'll start to notice things. Maybe enough to keep you out of that…mess." She muttered walking away.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Brie slipped around the ropes and the flaps of the tents, watching as Nadia walked. She quickly saw her demeanor change when she was out of sight of the other carnies. Her steps became less fluid, more sure and she went from playing with the ends of her curls to running her hands fully through her hair. Her little deer caught in headlights performance changed into a confident woman who knew exactly what she was doing.

Brie pursed her lips and looked around to make sure that Archie wasn't following either of them. She bent down silently and pulled her little blade from her boot. Fast and dirty sucked. Threatening people was dangerous but she didn't like the game that was being unfurled on Archie.

She followed after Nadia with the same grace she used when casing a mark. Unseen, silent, probing. Coming behind her she reached her arm out just enough to let the top of the short, sharp blade to graze the side of Nadia's neck and make her stop.

Nadia took a deep breath and looked coldly to her opposite side, knowing if she turned the other way the edge might cut her. "You are picking the wrong person to rob. My husband runs this carnival." She said in her thick accent.

"No." Brie said sweetly. "He doesn't."

Nadia narrowed her eyes and turned, the cold metal weaving with her neck as she did. "This is a big mistake Brie." She told her. "You do not know…"

"Oh I know. I may not have all of the details of your plan down yet but I know enough." Brie told her as the two women looked at each other. "Drop the accent 'Nadia'." She told her.

"I don't know what-" She stopped as Brie narrowed her eyes at her and her blade turned so that the sharp edge was now on Nadia's pale neck. "You're messing with the wrong woman sweetheart." Her accent dropped.

Brie shook her head. "No…you're messing with the wrong girl. I assume that just like me Ike didn't tell you everything that was going on around here. But let me promise you, I'm no more a fortune teller than you're a Bond girl." She mocked the accent that she hated so much. "What is that…Ukrainian mixed with a little bit of Albanian?"

"Just plane Russian." Nadia snarled at her.

Brie wrinkled her nose. "You need to listen to some more language tapes hon." Nadia frowned at her and tried to put on her frightened face. "Oh just stop. Any game you run I've done it better."

"What do you want?" Nadia asked her. "You want to be cut in? We can work with that."

Brie rolled her eyes and stepped in closer, pushing the knife in enough so that it pressed into her skin but didn't make a cut. "The only thing I want to cut into is your deceptively pretty face! I don't want in on your little half assed scam. I want you to find another patsy."

Nadia pouted at her. "Oh you want your little Archie safe. Jealous Brie?"

Brie curled her lip at the woman. "You want to fuck Archie…fuck him." Her stomach twisted at the words but she refused to let it show. No she didn't want her Idiot to stick his dick into this whore. "But whatever you're planning on using that little tumble for…it ends right now."

Nadia frowned at her. "You know he's the perfect person for it. Its easy to get him love sick and doing whatever I want."

Brie felt herself snarl at the woman before she could stop herself. She pushed her back and moved the knife to her pretty face, silently telling her that she would disfigure her best bait if she had to. "He's mine! My student. My partner. Mine to watch out for. Do you understand!?"

Nadia let out a little gasp as she felt the cold steel press against her cheek. "He's already in play…"

Brie licked her lip and withdrew the knife. "I'm taking him out of the game."

Nadia let out a breath as she felt the knife retract and watched the girl walk away, twisting the knife in her hand. She was going to have to get rid of that little trouble maker.

Archie looked up as he handed the baseballs to one of the customers, seeing Brie shift around the counter to him. "What's up?" He asked her.

Brie pushed her hair out of her face and made her face as normal as she could after her conversation with 'Nadia.' "Come to my trailer tonight? I'll show you how I get people to tell me what I want."

Archie shifted. He was meant to be meeting Nadia out in the field tonight…hopefully getting laid. That was more than he would get in Brie's trailer he was sure. Still he was curious about the sudden desire to speed up his education. Brie's hand brushed his, her little fingers grazing his knuckles as causing his stomach to knot. "Okay." He found himself muttering.

Brie's hand reached up and gripped his forearm. He felt the urgency of it. "Right after your shift?" She asked him as she looked up into his blue eyes.

Archie nodded down at her, reading what he felt in his arm. "Yeah," He said giving her a little, comforting smile. "I'll be there."

* * *

Brie looked up as she heard her trailer door open and saw Archie coming into her trailer. She let out a little breath of relief that he had actually come. She silently thanked god that Nadia didn't have her claws too deep into him, though she was sure that if she wasn't there the fake Russian would have already gotten him into a world of hurt.

Archie closed the door behind him and climbed up the two steps onto the floor. "Hey, you alright?" He asked her.

Brie nodded quickly and gave him a smile. "Yeah…I'm fine." _But you might not be. _"Why?"

Archie shrugged and pulled off his jacket, tossing it onto the sofa casually. "You just seemed kind of off balance when you asked me here... why does it always smell so good in here?" He found himself murmuring the last part.

Brie gave a little laugh, glad that he had followed up with that question so that she didn't have to respond to why she was nervous. She didn't want to lie tonight. Tonight was about the honest truth of things. "Lavender." She told him pointing to the incents on the counter. "It's wired to make people relax and feel comfort."

Archie nodded. He wasn't going to lather himself in the scent but it might help if he wanted to steal from someone. He watched as she picked up his jacket and folded it in half, drapping it over one of the chairs at the table. "You're such a neat freak." He joked.

Brie smiled. "I like order." She told him.

Archie laughed. "Yeah, I can see that…are there other scents or whatever?"

Brie nodded. "Yeah…a lot of them depend on the person though. Smells are even more powerful than sights. Our brain stores them and links them with out experiences."

Archie leaned up against the counter. "What are yours?" He asked, curious as always.

Brie licked her bottom lip, trying to think of something to say that wouldn't give her away, but then she remembered that she didn't want to hide tonight. Tonight's little lesson was all about intimacy. If Nadia hadn't gotten totally into his head she needed to make sure that _she _did to build loyalty. "Smoke." She told him honestly.

Archie rubbed his lip, smelling the nicotine on his own fingers. "Smoke." He replied skeptically, wondering if she was playing another one of her games.

Brie nodded and leaned across from him. "My…father. He smokes cigars…lots of them."

Archie pulled his bottom lip into his mouth. She had only mentioned her father once and when she had, she had made a run for it. He saw the way that she looked down at the floor, the way she had told him meant that either someone was hiding something or nervous. He was willing to bet that this time was nervousness. "What did you want to show me tonight?" He asked, trying to get her feeling less nervous.

Brie nodded slowly. "All of those little touches I was telling you about…to get people to trust or reveal…come on." She moved away from the kitchen and into the back of the trailer where her bedroom was.

Archie shifted and followed her. If they were doing that he wished that he had known. He would have gotten laid before or at least jerked off so that he was less sensitive to her touching. He watched as she crawled up the bed before sitting on the edge of it.

"Take off your shoes." Brie told him with a little smile. "You'll be more comfortable and relaxed that way." Archie pulled off his boots and pulled himself fully onto the bed. "Okay…so I've never done this with someone before…not to teach them anyway." Brie muttered. "Bare with me?"

Archie nodded quickly, nervous himself. Brie took a deep breath. "So you know this one."

She put her hand on his bicep and he nodded. "Comfort." He muttered.

"Um hum." Brie told him. "But its always light. You don't want to grip otherwise it feels commanding." She watched as his large hand came out and did the same to her arm. "Yeah…just like that." She smiled slightly until she felt his thumb stroking her bare arm. "Stoking is going to be wanting something. Think of it as trying to pull."

Archie nodded and watched his thumb move. Oh yeah he wanted something. He pulled his hand away. "What else is comfort? The knee?"

Brie smiled at him remembering that. "Yeah, but always the outside and low, closer to the cafe. And always on a member of the opposite sex." He grinned and she laughed. "Pervert." She joked. "Shoulder…give a nice strong grip."

They went over the different kinds of touches and holds for different emotions: comfort, urgency, threats…everything. Most of them Archie knew and had done before but he had never thought to use them in a play or a con; never used them out of their natural context.

"How do I know if someone's using these on me?" He asked her slowly. "Or if they're just natural."

Brie raised her eyebrows at him. So he was starting to get it. That had been her second goal of the night: to make him realize on his own that he was being manipulated. "If they seem too soon. People in normal relationships build up to these kinds of things, most of all with comfort or intimacy. If they're too soon…chances are that you're being seduced or manipulated."

He frowned, finding that some of the tricks had been used on his. He knew that Nadia had used at least one or two of them on him. He'd thought nothing of it at the time. If it was just one he could get over it but there were a lot.

"What about intimacy?" He finally asked.

Brie shook her head. "Intimacy is dangerous." She told him. "It can backfire on you without warning and you have to be really aware. You have to know how the other person feels about you." She let out a long unsteady breath. "Its more about the looks than the actual touches. You have to have a soft face and softer eyes." She scooted closer to him. "Always close," She said in a soft voice. "Always totally gentle." She slide her hand up his chest at looked at his face softly, watching his lips part. "Everything about it has to appear caring or it will come off as attraction."

Archie gulped down and nodded. "So this…its not real?"

Brie furrowed her eyebrows and went to pull her hand away but his shot up and held it over his heart. "Does it feel real?" She asked him.

"Yeah." Archie breathed. It felt pretty damned real right now. Brie smiled slightly and pulled her hand away. Archie slowly took his own hand to repeat the motion as he had done with all the others, running it from her shoulder up along her neck and too her face. Her skin was so soft and warm. She was right, it was easy to fall into this…to forget that she was teaching him.

Brie felt her breath catch and her heat rate pick up. He was too good at this. Those soft blue eyes were making him powerful…more so than her, that was for sure. She turned her face instinctively into his hand, telling herself that she was showing him how to return the gesture though she knew she wasn't…not really. "If you go in with your eyes open, knowing, there's no such thing as a false feeling; just a false intention." She muttered into his palm.


	9. Chapter 9

**Please please please comment if you are liking this story. Don't worry we are about to get into some drama.**

**Chapter 9:**

Archie watched as Brie talked with Ike, her arms crossed over her chest as she leaned back against one of the thick ropes. He watched her face as the older man spoke to her sternly. She cast her eyes down as though she was submitting but her lips were drawn together in a little half smile.

He rubbed his lip as he thought about the rest of the night.

_Brie lay with her head on his arm as they talked quietly, both on their backs looking up at the little pin pricks that she had used to map the night sky in the flimsy material. _

_Archie turned his face to her after a few moments of comfortable silence. "Have you ever made someone love you?" He asked, eyes running over her pretty profile. _

_Brie closed her eyes for a moment, leaving them shut as she answered. "I've made dozens of people love me." She finally said, voice quiet, almost regretful. _

_Archie shook his head and looked up at the ceiling. "Have you ever made some fall in love with you?" He asked more directly. _

_Brie pursed her lips together and opened her eyes back to the ceiling. "Once…a long time ago. There's a technique. Its called star gazing. You just stare into the persons eyes, long and loving. It can create real feelings of love." She shook her head on his arm. "I wouldn't ever do it again." She muttered. _

"_Why?" Archie asked. He could only imagine the power that would come from being able to do that._

_Brie rolled over on her side to face him, her hair sweeping across his arms as she did. He looked back at her and she felt herself reacting to his sweet blue eyes. They just seemed to pull the truth from her. "Love in a con…it's not safe. Its volatile…explosive once the betrayal comes…and it always comes." _

Archie frowned, still not sure if she meant in life or just in the con. All the same he could tell that she was telling the truth. She had said that people looked away when they lied but he could tell that she did it when she told the truth; as if the real and whole truth was shaming to her. He wasn't sure if she knew that she was making him like her, care about her. He liked it; liked that look on her face when she looked at him. He liked that he could unnerve her.

He looked up when he saw Nadia walking by, dropping a note in front of him and continuing to walk with one of those innocent shy looks cast over her shoulder. Lighting his smoke he read the invitation to the house of mirrors later that night.

He inhaled deeply and then looked back up at Brie and Ike. He wished it was her that had dropped this. He wished that she wasn't so strong so that she would need him. He wished he could make her feel something...anything. Archie rubbed his hand through his hair as he watched her.

* * *

Brie kicked at a can on the ground as she walked through the empty fair grounds, glancing over at the single figure of Nadia going onto the House of Mirrors. Brie had changed into jeans and a black button up shirt that was form fitting. She had the urge to look good lately; not like her character. She wanted to look like her when he saw her. This wasn't totally her but it was close enough that she felt like she was giving something more to him than a few lessons.

She wondered where Archie was…what he was doing tonight. Last night had been fun, even if it was unnerving to be so open with someone. She briefly saw why her father didn't want her to teach. It opened a flood gate of emotions and trust issues. It made her feel connected to another person for the first time in a long time.

She smiled slightly as she smelled the familiar scent of smoke and spice. Archie. Yeah, that godly relaxing smell was Archie. Glancing to her side she saw him going into the house of mirrors, following after the other woman. She frowned as she felt her heart contract, making a face at the physical pain of her chest knotting and sinking.

"Ouch." She whispered in surprise, rubbing her collarbones to try and relieve the piercing stress.

_What is wrong with you? _She asked herself. If he wanted to fuck the other woman let him fuck her. Brie was sure he was more emotionally connected to her anyway. If it was just sex she could overpower that with emotion. That's what she was good at. She had never needed to screw a mark to gain their devotion and trust.

Still something inside of her tore like a sheet of paper. She felt sick. She wanted to do nothing more than charge in and grab him back, pull him to her and let him take whatever it was he wanted. But she wasn't like that. She had more self control. But then again she thought she had more control over her emotions too and this definitely held the distinctive scent of jealousy.

Taking a shaky breath she shook her head, hair flying in her face with the forced that she used. She shouldn't be here, couldn't be here. What if she heard something…what if she heard them? She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't hear the foot falls behind her as she stormed away.

Archie watched as Nadia's hands moved up his chest and around his neck, tugging slightly at the back of his hair. He was trying to get into it, to stay focused on the conversation about his plan. But he couldn't get Brie's lessons out of his head. Nadia's touching was too much; over the top. It wasn't like Brie's. Brie made it obvious on purpose when she was conning him, but when she touched him for real it was delicate, tantalizing.

_If they're too soon chances are you're being seduced or manipulated…._

The accent drove him crazy. He wanted Brie's deceptively sweet, little, quiet voice. The one that she had used last night when she was talking about intimacy, soft, kind, sweet.

_Intimacy is dangerous…Always close, always gentle…_

He could pretend it was her right? He could squeeze his eyes shut and not look in the mirrors. He could dig his face into her skin and try not to moan her name. Yeah that's what he was going to do. He closed his eyes and let Nadia kiss him, pretending it was Brie's tongue twisting around his again.

He reached down and pulled at Nadia's…no Brie's, skirt, wedging it up as he kept his eyes tightly closed. He pawed at her ass.

_Does it feel real?_

Fucking hell! What was wrong with his brain!? She had mind fucked him! No, if he was honest he'd mind fucked himself. Nadia was moving against him and he continued to pretend it was his teachers tight little body moving against his. Don't say her name…Don't say HER name!

He pulled away harshly when a scream cut through the air. Both he and Nadia looked towards the exit, bodies tense, minds snapping out of the promise of a quick fuck.

"Brie…" He breathed, worry edging his voice at the sound of her voice in terror.

Nadia saw him disconnect right away and pull his shirt all the way back down. "Archie no! Don't go!" She cried as he made a run for the door.


	10. Chapter 10

**Melissa: I hope you are feeling better sweetie!**

**Coconutcarter: I think he's really starting to get her. So when are you flying down to Texas for a marathon?**

**JavaNut: I hope that's a good 'what the?'**

**Please please please review if you are reading this!**

**Chapter 10:**

Brie only had a second to react when she felt a large hand encircle her arm. At first she thought maybe it was Archie coming to apologize for calling her a whore when he was being one but he knew better now than to grab her like that. Ike would do it and she was more than prepared to give him a verbal tongue lashing.

When she turned around and saw an unfamiliar face her stomach fell and she yanked her arm away half a second before she saw the back of his hand flying towards her cheek. It struck across her face and knocked her teeth against the fragile skin inside her mouth.

She wasn't physically strong. She knew that. Her best defense was to manipulate people…but when they didn't even give you half a second to talk and seemed intent on the task of beating you that wasn't nearly as effective as it needed to be.

Fall let herself fall backward and too the ground, reaching into her boot to pull her knife, while letting out a loud scream and hoping someone was close enough to hear it. He leaned forward. This was always the worst part…letting the attacker get close enough. His large fist connected with her ribs and crunch against them. Brie felt herself make a gasping, chocked noise right before her vision filled with little pin pricks of light. Taking her little knife she jabbed it into the man's leg.

He howled in either pain or anger…probably anger. Her knife was small and even though it was dug to the handle in his thigh it really did little more than make him stumble back and piss him off more.

"Little bitch!" He hissed before his fist connected with her ribs again. "You need to leave! Understand?"

Brie winced and kicked the leg she had jammed her knife into hard, causing him to fall back. Leave? Wasn't he trying to kill her? The people she was here to protect her from would definitely want to kill her not just make her leave. She tried to pull herself from the ground but knew she was huntched, a searing pain shooting through her ribs and stomach. She placed a hand on them as her attacker tried to pull himself from the ground. He was so much bigger than her she would have had to tilt her head all the way up to see him standing normally. Hunched over he looked like a giant.

Brie cringed, ready for him to come close enough again that she could twist the knife in his leg and maybe deliver him just a little more pain before he took out fighting back on her.

At that moment a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind and yanked him to the ground.

Archie ran as fast as he could in the direction of the scream. He could hear several other grunts and howls but they echoed off of the tents and he couldn't pin point exactly where they were coming from.

He lifted both hands to his head and ran them through his hair angrily. "Brie!" He yelled. Hearing a male wail he took off in that direction. He didn't know what he was going to do when he got there. He wasn't a fighter. No way. He'd prefer to tuck tail and run. He wasn't even completely sure what to do in a fight besides try to explain or talk his way out of it. Still if Brie was hurt…He didn't want to think about it.

He was so lost in trying to for some sort of plan that he almost ran past the aisle. Skidding to a stop he saw old Charlie with the man on the ground, putting his fist into his face over and over again in an attempt to knock him out cold.

"Check Brie!" Charlie commanded even though Archie was already rushing over to her. He delivered a swift kick to the man on the ground as he walked by, satisfied that he wouldn't be able to retaliate now that he was barely conscious.

Archie dropped to the ground in front of her, pulling her up from her half curled position on her knees. "Hey…hey look at me." He told her, lifting up her chin as she winced in pain. "Oh god Brie." He muttered, looking at the discoloration already forming across her cheek. He felt his stomach drop. He didn't want her hurt…didn't want to see her hurt. It was nauseating. "Are you okay?" He looked down at where she was clenching her side tightly.

Brie bit down on her lip to try and hide her pain. "Do I look okay?" She asked irritably.

They both looked down the aisle to where some of the Carnival workers and Ike had run to see what the commotion was about. Ike started cursing and throwing his arms around the second that he saw what was going on. "What happened here?" He yelled, marching over to Brie and Archie. He didn't wait for an answer before turning back to the others. "Go get the doctor. Hurry!"

"I'm fine." Brie muttered.

Ike ignored her completely, looking at Archie instead. "Archie, take her back to her trailer. The doctor will be there when they get him."

Brie rolled her eyes. "I don't need a doctor." She hissed.

Archie shook his head and helped her up from the ground as gently as he could, large fingers gripping around her tiny hip. "Brie…you could have a broken rib." He looked at the way she was hunched over. Despite not being a fighter, he had definitely been beaten up enough to know what that looked like.

Ike snorted. "And if you know who finds out about this it is us who will have all our ribs broken!" He said with a puff of smoke from his cigar. Archie raised an eyebrow. More secrets.

Archie helped Brie into her trailer and up into the bed, his arm around her waist as he steadied her. She wouldn't let him carry her, had down right refused. He did half pick her up to get up the steep steps though. He turned her gently onto her back pushed the hair out of her face.

Walking back out to the kitchen he opened the small ice chest and pulled out an ice pack. Closing it he considered and reached up, opening another cabinet and pulling out a fresh bottle of vodka. He leaned back against the counter and took a swig, closing his eyes. What the hell was he doing? Yeah he wanted this girl but he had sure thing with Nadia, even if he thought she was playing him. Shaking his head he took another long drink, wincing at the burning before going back into the room.

"Here." He muttered, sitting on the bed and wrapping the ice pack in a hand towel. "Ribs or cheek?"

Brie bit her lip. "Cheek." She told him. Yeah, her ribs hurt more but her cheek was visible. Archie held the ice pack to her cheek and handed her the bottle. She took a long drink as he continued to hold the cold to her bruise. Letting out a little breath she closed her eyes at the ice cold feeling. "I thought you were getting laid." She muttered.

Archie looked up at her closed eyes sharply. "Yeah…well your horror movie scream kind of tore me out of that." He muttered, half to himself.

Brie bit down on her lip to hide her glee that he hadn't actually gotten to go through with it. "Sorry I couldn't be a more attractive damsel in distress for you." She hissed as he shifted the ice, hitting a sour spot.

Archie gave a snort. "Give me a break. I think you know you're gorgeous." Her eyes shot open to him and he floundered for something else to say to get off this topic. "So who's 'you know who'?" He asked after a moment.

Brie looked up at him. His eyes kept moving along the parts of her bruise that weren't covered by the ice pack and darting down to her ribs. He was worried about her. It was cute. "Don't worry about it."

Archie pulled the ice pack away so that he could look at the bruise to make sure he was getting the worst parts. "If they're going to come in here and break my ribs like I think they are, I kinda think that I am going to worry about it."

Brie gave a little half smile, drawing his eyes down to her lips as he pursed his together. "Do you really think I'd let anyone hurt you?" She asked him.

Archie let out a laughing grin as he removed the compress and started the rewrap the towel around it.. "Sweetheart. You don't even look like you could help yourself-"

He was cut off as Brie leaned forward the slightest of bits and touched her lips to his. Archie let out a little breath and watched her eyes closed as her lips caressed his, the soft flesh just barely skimming his. Closing his own eyes he moved his lips with her, not really deepening the kiss yet but enjoying the feeling. It was sweet, not forcing, not manipulative. He dropped the ice from her face and wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her in so that their lips pressed harder together. He nibbled on her bottom lip as hers parted. Their tongues tangled together for a moment before he felt her trying to retract.

Brie gasped as he felt his hand come up to her side to stop her from moving away, pain shooting through her ribs.

Archie pulled away at the hissing sound of discomfort and looked down at where his hand had gripped her bruised ribs. "Shit…I'm sorry Brie!" He said quickly. "I forgot about that."

Brie nodded quickly before pulling his back to kiss him needingly again, throwing away caution and letting his tongue plunge into her mouth. They tangled together as Archie fought to keep his hands on her arms and shoulders, trying not to hurt her again. Brie gripped into his hair lightly, sparks flying through her as his nimble tongue explored her mouth.

They yanked apart as the trailer door slammed open, both breathing hard as Ike stormed in with the Carnivals medic in tow. "Ever heard of knocking Ike?" Brie said angrily.

Ike ignored her completely, looking over her face and swearing. "Archie…my friend…please leave."

Archie rubbed his lips with his fingers, still trying to collect himself and started to pull himself from the bed. He stopped when he felt Brie's little fingers wrap around his wrist. He looked at her questioningly.

"I want him to stay." Brie told Ike solidly.

Ike swore in broken Russian again and glared at her. "Archie out."

Brie pursed her lips together and let go of Archie's wrist. He frowned at the staring contest going on in between Ike and Brie. Normally he was sure that Brie would win but with her bruising cheek and mussed up hair she looked far less intimidating than she usually did. "I'll be back when they are done checking you out." He told her.

Brie let out a little breath. "Please don't go back…" She whispered up to him pleadingly. _Don't go back to her Archie…_

Archie frowned and gave her a little nod before scooting past Ike and the medic in the narrow space. Like he could go back to anyone else after kissing her like that.

Ike frowned and watched Archie look over his shoulder when he got to the door at Brie. He waited until the door closed and looked back at the little grifter in front of him. "What the hell was that?" Ike snarled at her. "You know that if your father found out you'd been tracked we would all be dead!"

"It wasn't the Spaniards." Brie told him solidly as the medic came over and started to check her. She winced as his hand prodded her ribs.

"Really now? And how can you tell that?" Ike hissed at her.

Brie rolled her eyes. "Because there was only one of them and they told me to leave. They didn't ask me where the money was."

Ike ran his fingers through his hair in dismay. "Who than?" He knew her and her fathers reputation. If someone had been stolen from, chances are they wouldn't even know what their faces looked like, much less who they would call for favors or, in Ike's case, collect debts from.

Brie frowned. She had her suspicions. The truth was she knew who she was threatening by being here; who's score she was digging her nose into. "Why don't you ask your 'wife'?" She snarled at him.


	11. Chapter 11

**coconutcarter**** : Sweet heart, you just named the three stapples of my diet: Coffee, chocolate and Reedus! And his sure thing might still be a problem because well….Brie is not actually a whore. **

**Melissa: LOL! Dun Dun Dun!**

**JavaNut**** : More secrets coming. **

**Gurl: Stab you mean? Yes he does need to stab her.**

**Note: Divana, Nadia and Melissa are all the same person but different aliases'. Just a little reminder.**

**Chapter 11:**

Archie sat on one of the picnic tables, smoke in hand as he watched Brie's trailer, waiting for news. He could still feel her lips on his, soft and warm. Kissing her was almost like when she told the truth. When she had first kissed him to prove that she was a whore it had been demanding, bold, confident. When she did it tonight it was still hot as hell but shy and sweet. His balls twitched remembering and he took another long drag on his smoke as though he was sucking down air that he needed to breathe. It was almost like she didn't know how to when she wasn't trying to be Brie. Not sexy fortune teller Brie, not mouthy pick pocket Brie. Just cute little innocent needed him Brie.

He tapped the ash off of the cigarette as he saw Nadia approaching him from the other direction, a shaw wrapped around her shoulders. _Stereotype. _He could hear the word in Brie's voice.

Nadia watched her mark as she came closer stopping about a food away from the table that he perched on. She pulled the shaw tighter around her, fringing her distress. "Is she going to be alright?"

Archie glanced to his side at her and then back to his shoes. "Yeah…I think so."

He glanced out of the corner of his eyes just in time to see the bridge of Nadia's nose crinkle. It was just a fraction of a movement, hardly noticeable. Damn you Brie, he thought to himself. Damn you for making me notice this shit.

"Good." Nadia said putting on a relieved face. Archie nodded and lifted the smoke back to his lips. "It is frightening no?"

"What is?" Archie said, glancing over at Brie's trailer. Both of them were a little bit scary.

Nadia took a little step closer to him, pulling herself up onto the table next to him while clenching the shaw tighter in between her fingers. Archie pursed his lips together as he thought about Brie's little fingers tugging on his hair. He felt himself twitch again at the memory.

"That someone could get in here and hurt her…hurt any of us." Nadia said, an edge of fright to her voice. "I am…frightened Archie. Will you stay with me tonight?" Her hand fell to his forearm, drawing his eyes as her thumb stroked his arm.

_Pulling. _Oh Christ there were some things he wished that Brie hadn't taught him. This wasn't one of them. "I'm staying with Brie tonight." He said, looking back over at the clean trailer that he knew held the eternal scent of lavender and peace. That he hoped held more of those sweet, ball humming kisses.

Nadia's grip on his arm tightened slightly and his eyes snapped back to hers, still rimming in the sparkling eye make up from her show. Brie's eyes didn't need any help sparkling. "I'm sure she'll have the others watching over her tonight. Her other men can stay with her." Nadia cooed.

Archie had to admit that voice was luring. It was meant to be luring, promising him all kinds of dirty little fantasies. But there was only one thing he would really be fantasizing about tonight. "I said I'd stay with her." He said again. _She wants me. Not other men. _In a sudden instant he realized that whatever Nadia was doing, she still didn't know what Brie was. He intended to keep it that way.

They both looked up as Ike and the medic came out of the trailer. Archie threw the smoke to the ground and shoved his hands into his pockets. "You." Ike said, pointing at Nadia. "With me now!"

Archie shifted and looked at the medic. "How is she?"

"Could have been worse," The old man said. "She's bruised up but nothing got broken."

Ike made a low sound in his throat, swearing before he looked at Archie. "She wants you. She will have no one else." He muttered, seizing Nadia's arm and pulling her away.

* * *

Ike shoved her hard into the trailer. "What did you do you stupid bitch!" He lost his accent with her instantly.

Melissa looked at him hard. "She's in the way. Who the hell cares?!" She said back, gasping as Ike grabbed her by the neck and threw her down on the ratty old sofa.

"Important people care!" He growled at her in anger. "You don't know who she is! What can she do to us. You're putting everything at risk!"

Melissa let out a harsh laugh. "What is she going to do? Go to the police or Raphila and tell them that she had a 'vision'?" She made an exaggerated motion with her hands as she said it as if to prove how ridiculous it was.

Ike ran his hands through his hair in frustration. If he told Melissa/Nadia anything about Brie's true identity or why she was here he was she Melissa would sell her to the highest bidder. She was a snake like that. If her father found out…Ike would be dead too.

"One phone call Melissa…one word and we could all be dead. She could kill us all."

Melissa narrowed her eyes at him. "Then why is she here? Why is she still alive?!"

Ike grabbed her hair and pulled. "None of your damn business!"

* * *

Archie opened the door to Brie's trailer quietly, stepping into it and keeping his head down. Glancing up with nothing but his eyes he could see that she was standing now, her back to him, trying to unbutton her shirt.

Taking a short, pained breath she let it drop to the bed and tried to reach behind herself to unclasp the hook of her red bra. He rubbing his bottom lip and cleared his throat to make sure she knew he was there.

Brie turned her head over her shoulder and flushed, giving up and dropping her hands as she tried to pick up a t-shirt to pull over her head. She didn't want this to be the first time he saw her, all beat up and bruised. She knew they would be even darker tomorrow.

"Wait." Archie muttered as she picked up the shirt. Stepping closer he let his eyes fall to her back, down the hallowed part of her spine. He gulped down for a moment at the sight and ran his fingers along the band. "Are you manipulating me?" He found himself asking to distract himself as he unhooked the two clips and ran his hand down the soft skin of her back.

Brie felt a shiver rush over her as his palm rested on the small of her back. She bit down into her lower lip. "I'm too tired to manipulate anyone right now Archie." She whispered as she picked the t-shirt up from the bed, wincing. She pulled it over her head but he didn't move his hand so it stayed on her skin. "That's why I wanted you to stay."

Archie nodded slowly and slid his fingers around under her shirt so that they skimmed the naked skin of her hip before coming to rest on her tight stomach. Brie closed her eyes as she felt the touch move all the way through her body. "Because I know your secrets?" He muttered close to her ear. He used his other hand to push the hair away from her ear, finding a small tattoo of a decorative star.

Brie found herself smiling like an idiot. "Some of them…more than most people do." She admitted, turning around to face him. "Most people haven't seen that." She ran her fingers along the scar on his cheek, taking in the texture.

Archie turned his face into her hand just like she had and kissed her palm. "What's with you and secrets anyway?" He muttered. Yeah this felt ten times more real that the house of mirrors with Nadia.

Brie smiled slightly as he edged closer, running his hand under shirt and up her good side. "I like them…the more you know the safer you are."

Archie bit the inside of his cheek. He was pretty sure the more he found out about her the more danger he was going to find himself in. Strangely enough he didn't give a shit right now. "You want to know a secret about me?" He asked her quietly, edging her back. Her smiled was enough of an answer for him. "I really, really want you." He muttered.

Brie felt her knees hit the back of the bed and wrapped an arm around his neck for balance. "That's not a secret." She told him right before his lips connected to hers. Brie lifted his hands to his face as she kissed him back, his tongue teasing her lips. "Archie my side-" She whispered against his lips.

He nodded, his nose brushing against hers while his hand came around her back to support her weight. "I'll be careful." He muttered, kissing her harder this time, his head tilting to get at her pink lips. He lowered her tiny body down to lay on the bed. He braced his other hand to support his weight over her.

Brie's mind swirled. This was a bad idea…such a bad idea. She knew that he had slept with Nadia a few days ago…out in the fields where he and Brie talked. God knows what diseases that bitch had. She closed her eyes as his lips moved to her neck. Her fathers voice echoed in her head.

_Never get emotionally attached. _

She fisted his hair in her fingers and pulled his lips away from their sucking kissed on her neck. She felt her breath catch at the sweet questioning look in his blue eyes. His hips pressed down against hers and she let out a little gasping noise of pleasure at the effect she was having on him. "Archie I can't…you and Nadia-"

"Forget about that." He told her. Screw his plan with Nadia. Brie and he could do so much more damage than the thirty grand Ike had promised. He returned to her neck and gave it a gentle bit as he wedged her shirt up.

Brie arched her neck as her legs drew around his sides. His hot lips left a trail down her neck over her chest and towards her stomach, moving more gently over the bruising that was forming over her ribs. His tongue circled around her belly button and he grinned as she gasped again. He liked that sound. He didn't like the next one though.

"Archie stop." She gasped, pushing herself up on her elbows.

He looked up and frowned, sitting on his knees. He was so frustrated right now. He wanted her, she wanted him. Why couldn't she just let it be simple? "You kissed me." Brie bit her lip and nodded. "What you want me to pay you or something?" He said angrily.

Brie's eyes narrowed. "You're planning something with 'Nadia'. I'm not going to sleep with you and then have you get thrown into a fire!" Because she was emotionally connected to him. She'd let herself get tricked with her own moves. She'd stared into his god damned eyes too long. FUCK!

Archie frowned and looked down. He wasn't used to people caring…some girl giving a shit. "Its just sex." He muttered.

Brie closed her eyes, not knowing that he meant that it was just sex with Nadia. It was something more with her but she didn't know that. Grabbing her shirt she pulled it back over her head, trying to hide her physical and emotional pain. "You're a better whore than I am."


	12. Chapter 12

**Please please please review. I know that I went on a bit of a writing binge last night so I'm posting two chapters at a time but I still hope you like it!**

**Chapter 12:**

Brie pulled up to the small town and parked the outdated truck in front of one of the stores. She pushed the sunglasses she was wearing further over her eyes so that it would cover at least some of the bruising on her face. She knew that it didn't really matter anyway. No one cared what happened to a carnie and that's all that she was right now. A bruised up, battered, Archie-less carnie.

He had left the trailer in a huff the night before, angry with her for her last comment. She didn't know why she had said it. She was just in pain and angry with both him and herself. Yeah she wanted him but his little fuck buddy was the one that she was pretty sure was responsible for her current pain. Still it was dangerous to make him angry. If he had seen the tattoo and put two and two together…she pushed the thought away. She hoped that he cared about her enough to not tell. She cared about him. She shouldn't but she did. And some weird part of her had thought that he cared about her for more than sex too.

Pushing open the door to the tiny electronics store she walked over to the counter. A lazy looking youth stood there, leaning against the clouded glass. "Prepaid cell phone." She told him bluntly. "Faster the better." She muttered at his sluggish push off the counter top.

"You want text and picture messages too?" He asked.

"Yes please." She pulled the cash out of her pocket and paid the boy.

Getting back in the truck she pulled the packaging from the phone and booted it up. She bit the inside of her cheek as she dialed and number and held it up to her ear. "Abel. It's me." She said as a male voice answered.

"Well hey there sugar bear." His California stoner voice smiled all on its own, even through the phone lines. Brie started up the truck and began her drive back. "I thought you were out of commission."

Brie tilted her head to the side. "I am…but I need to call in a favor."

"Honey…I owe you so many favors I don't know if I should be relieved or scared."

Brie cracked a smile at the pet names. People always used her pet name because…well, most people didn't know what her name was. "Do this for me and I'll drop all of them."

Abel was silent for a long moment. "Okay now I'm really scared. You don't need me to kill someone do you? Cause I don't think I'd be good at that."

Brie shook her head to herself as she drove. No he wouldn't be good at that. He talked too much. "I just need you to dig up some dirt on someone."

Abel let out an audible sigh of relief. "Okay. What's the name?"

"Never mind the name." Brie told him. "I'll send you a picture."

* * *

"Brie!" Ike yelled. "Come now, group photo!"

She shook her head as she walked by, spotting Archie on the ground. Her bruises were starting to heal turning into just a yellowing discoloration on her cheek. Archie looked down, trying not to remember the last time he had seen her.

_Archie had squeezed his eyes closed as Nadia grinded on top of him out in the dead of night. They were sure to be where no one would see them. Where Ike wouldn't see them. Where Brie couldn't see them. God he didn't want Brie to see them. Some part of him wanted to hurt her after turning him down a few nights ago but not like this. He was mad but he didn't want her to see this. He was still pretending it was her; still hearing her little gasping intakes of breath. _

_Glancing to the side his eyes opened of their own free will, his face slackening when he saw the real thing walking by. His blue eyes caught her green ones as she stopped for a split second. Her bruised face showed nothing but she looked away quickly, casting her eyes down as she walked forward, determined to ignore the aching in her gut. _

_Archie let out a breath as he instantly lost his hard on. He shook his head and pushed Nadia away from him gently before getting up from the blanket and slinking away. _

"I don't do photos." Brie muttered as her eyes caught Archie's. He exhaled from his smoke, making them turn an even darker blue.

"Nonsense Brie. You work for me, you get in the photo." Ike said.

Brie torn her eyes away from Archie and glanced at him. Nadia was standing behind him with a little smirk playing on the corners of her lips. "Photo's steal your soul…for those of us that still have one." She spat the last part before continuing to walk off.

Archie's eyes followed her, his stomach hurting at the words.

"Alright alright." Ike said. "We get her next time no?"

Brie frowned as she walked and saw a silver Lexis pull into the dusty lot that they used for parking. "Shit." She muttered to herself, straightening her hair out the best that she could and trying to look presentable.

Ike looked up from his rearranging of everyone. He was next to Archie now, taking the smoke from his mouth for the picture. "Damn. He muttered as he spotted the car.

Archie looked up as Brie practically ran back by them and down the row, right past them without looking. He let out a little breath as her curly hair spun around her in the light breeze. Good she was beautiful. What was he thinking assuming that he could get a girl like that?

He frowned when he saw Ike's face harden, following him in the direction that Brie had run.

Archie lit up, flicking his lighter as they walked. He watched as a man in his late 50's or early 60's climb out of the insanely nice car. He straightened his hand tailored suit and looked around in amusement. Archie frowned as Brie skidded to a stop. Something about this man just radiated danger. His bright green eyes were catlike in his pale skin. His greying hair was combed back neatly across his handsome face. He didn't want Brie near him.

The greying haired man's eyes caught Brie and he walked over to her slowly as Ike put his hand out to stop Archie from moving forward.

"Who is that?" Archie asked quietly.

Ike frowned through his cigar. "No one you ever want to meet my friend."

Brie watched as the man's finely shinned leather shoes moved through the rough dirt towards her. His large hand came up and took her sunglasses off her face, grabbed her chin roughly to look at the dissipating bruises. He inspected them closely.

"Where else?" His heavily accented French voice asked. His eyes found Ike and the twitchy looking boy over her shoulder.

Brie gulped down and lifted her shirt from her side. He looked down at the bruising, putting his hand on it to inspect the size. He grunted and looked back up at her face, gripping her chin again and turning it to her good side. "My northern star. My love." He told her kissing her unblemished cheek.

Archie stiffened and resisted the urge to step forward. Who was this man to call her that? What was he to her? Her sugar daddy? He was certainly dressed like it.

Brie smiled softly. "Hi Daddy."


	13. Chapter 13

Reviews! This story is not getting much love :( Archie needs love!

Chapter 13:

_Daddy. _He was her father. Archie should have known the moment those green eyes looked at him. He had gifted his daughter with his probing intensity. Archie stiffened and dropped his smoke to the ground and dug his shoe into it.

Jean looked up at he and Ike before looking back at his daughter. He smiled at her slightly rubbing her nose with his thumb. "You have personal things?" He asked her and Brie shook her head negative. They never brought anything with them that could leave a trace. Anything that couldn't be left behind. "It's time to go." He nodded over to the car.

Brie pursed her lips together. "I can't leave." She told him and her father quirked a dark bushy eyebrow at his daughter. "Not without…" She glanced over her shoulder and looked at Archie. Her green eyes caught his and held it. "My money." She told her father as she tore her eyes away from her would be lover. "I can't leave without my money."

Her father nodded. "Go than. I must speak with your keeper."

Brie snickered. "My warden." She told him teasingly. Her father gave a charming little smile before starting over to Ike. "Daddy." She put her hand on his arm to stop him. Archie was standing right next to Ike. She didn't want him to hurt. Ike she didn't give a shit about but on Archie's face, one scar was enough. "The boy…he took care of me. He had nothing to do with it."

Her father looked over at 'the boy' whose eyes were intent on his daughter. There was definitely a fire in those eyes. "It's alright deary. I won't hurt any of them…badly."

Brie nodded and walked with her father, her head cast down and refusing to look up at Archie or Ike.

"You and I," Jean said to Ike. "We must talk. Boy? You go." Archie glanced at Ike than in Brie's direction. Her father raised an eyebrow. "If you want to say goodbye to her this is your last chance." He pushed.

Archie glanced at Ike again before rushing off towards Brie's trailer. She was already inside of it when he got there. Leaning against one of the walls, he watched her retrieve a safe from under the bed.

Brie glanced up at him as she put the lock box into her bag and rose to her feet. Timidly she leaned up against the wall opposite him. Archie suddenly realized that this was it. She was about to leave, disappear. He felt the sudden urge to grab a hold of her and hide her somewhere; maybe tie her up under the bed until her father left just to keep her there. Biting the inside of his cheek he leaned back farther into the wall and put his hands behind his back in an effort not to reach out for her.

Brie watched him for a moment, mirroring his stance in the way that she usually did. She could clearly see that he was nervous, maybe slightly ashamed, regretful. Most of all she could see that he didn't want her to leave. She bit into her bottom lip and watched as he rubbed his. She remembered all too well what those fingers felt like in her hair, on her waist, against her skin. Sighing at his lack of words she pulled her thick hair up to distract herself.

Archie looked directly at her, drawn in by the movement and the long line of her neck. His eyes ran up it until he finally reached her ear, knowing the tattoo was hidden behind it. "Why a star?" He asked her suddenly, knowing that this would be his last chance to figure out anything about her. Brie pursed her lips together and looked away. "Tell me the truth?" He begged quietly at the motion that he knew so well.

"Northern Star." She muttered.

Archie frowned and stared at her hard at the name of the practically famous con artist. That name was said only in whispers. When someone said that a con or lift was impossible they would say that only the Star could do it. "What? You're a fan or something?" Brie looked down at his chest in an effort to avoid the answer. "Holy shit." He muttered.

"He's my father." Brie confessed for the first time in her life. She clenched her fists together as she said it, the truth felt like a death sentence right now. "And me. Both of us." He could tell. He could get them both killed. If her father didn't think he was trust worthy he could kill him. She didn't want Archie dead.

Archie pushed himself away from the wall in shock. Unknowingly he had been being schooled by one of the best con artists in the country…Maybe in the world. They said that she's walked out of the Buckingham palace spinning jewelry she had stolen in her hand. Obviously that was an exaggeration but he could see her walking out with it in her pocket. He rubbed the back of his head.

Brie pressed her lips together as she watched the emotions passing over his face. "Don't tell Archie." She whispered. "Don't say a word to anyone…please. For your own sake."

Archie shifted his weight. "I really don't know you at all do I?" He muttered angrily.

Brie looked at him sharply. "You know my face, you know my name…what I do." She squinted her eyes in thought. He apparently knew when she was lying or telling the truth. "You know more about me than any other living person besides my father Archie."

This was for the best. He knew too much and she felt too much. She was angry at him but its not like she didn't know what would happen when she had said no and called him a whore. Well, she hadn't known exactly what happened but she knew something would. She just hadn't been prepared for that or for the raw emotions that it brought. She could fake wounded, fake emotional pain, pretend to be attached but these raw emotions that went with real attachment hurt.

Archie watched her as she thought, absorbing the words. The truth was that he didn't feel like he was looking at some amazing con artist right now. He was looking at little Brie who had taken care of his split lip and played poker with him.

She picked up the single bag and looked at him. "I…" She closed her eyes and stepped closer to him_. _She didn't know what she wanted to say to him. She was at a loss...pissed about Nadia. Tired of running... "Just don't trust anyone Archie." She whispered before touching her lips to his cheek. "And try not to get yourself killed."

Archie leaned against the now abandon trailer smoking. He had watched the silver Lexis pull away with his arms crossed over his chest, crying to calm his shaking breaths as Brie glanced over her shoulder at him one last time before getting into the passenger's seat and shutting the door behind her. Then she was gone. Reaching up he rubbed his cheek where she had placed her gentle lips.

Glancing up at the sky he let his head and heart except it. She was gone. Any chance he had with her was gone with that shinny silver paint. He exhaled long and hard. He'd blown it with her. He should have just waited and not gone to Nadia for his physical needs. But then what? He would have gotten her for a week?

He glanced up as he saw Ike approaching him, his lip split and eye black. He looked angry. More than that he looked like he had gotten the shit beat out of him. "Tonight my friend. You do it tonight. I want that bitch out of my life tonight."

Archie nodded quickly. He had no reason to stay here. He'd forget everything that she taught him and run off with Nadia and Ike's thirty grand. He'd forget that Brie had ever existed.

Brie leaned her head against the cool glass of the window as her father drove, his police scanner tucked against the dashboard and chattering quietly.

Jean looked over at his daughter quietly, watching her blank face take in the world passing them by. "You wanted to get out. Be happy." He told her calmly.

Brie nodded. Yeah she had wanted to get the hell out of there. She'd wanted away from that stupid carnival and Ike. She hadn't wanted away from her new friend though. She didn't like leaving people she worked with behind. She had never left a partner behind. She'd never thought that she would have a student but she was sure that she would never have left one of those behind either. Even if he was a first class idiot.

"That boy?" Her father asked, drawing her eyes to him. "What was he to you my dear?"

Brie let out a long breath. "A friend…a stupid idiotic friend."

"Is he the reason why you are so upset about leaving?" Her father asked. Brie nodded. "He did not look at you like a friend."

Brie let out a little half smile. "I didn't sleep with him daddy." She told him. Normal fathers and daughters would not have told each other these things but they were not normal. She had been playing in the major league since she was twelve. They weren't shy.

Jean pursed his lips together. "Sometimes you know that does not matter."

Brie pulled her legs up onto the seat in front of her, her naked toes curling. "Yeah, I know." She bit her lower lip. "I…I was teaching him daddy."

Jean looked at her sharply. "You know you are still too young to teach. I've told you that. Especially a civilian."

Brie shrugged. "He wasn't exactly a civilian. He had the skill set. He's just so…emotional."

Jean chuckled. "Men do get like that with pretty girls Brie. You know this." He glanced over at his daughter as she rested her chin on her knees. "What skill set? Second rate con artist like Ike there?"

Brie grinned to herself. Her father really did not approve of Ike. Calling in this dept. didn't seem to have helped that. "Pick pocket." She couldn't help but smile harder as her father laughed outright. She wondered if she was the only one who had ever really heard his real laugh. "I told him." She blurted out.

Jean was silent immediately. "What did you tell him?" He asked seriously.

Brie looked back out the window. "Everything."

Her father swore violently. "I wish you had told me that Brie." She was silent, knowing what her father would have done if he knew was enough to make her shiver. Yeah Archie could use a good right hook for being a fool and getting drawn into Nadia but that didn't mean she wanted him pushing daisy's… why? Wanted him? No that wasn't it. If she had just wanted him she would have gotten him. Because she cared about him? No. It was more than that.

Brie was drawn out of her thoughts at the sound of the words coming lightly from the police scanner. "Ikes Carnival." Reaching out she turned the speakers up. Her father looked down at it as she turned it up.

"Some kind of explosion. Get the fire department over there asap." Came the voice. "State police too."

Brie pushed her lips together as she starred at the blinking light. "Turn around." She said quietly.

Jean looked at her in surprise. "What to where the state police are going? No Brie! We keep low!"

Brie looked up at him. "Daddy if you love me at all turn this god damned car around!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

Archie leaned against the trailer, hidden as he heard Ike's crocodile tears and confession of Archie being the one to kill his wife to the police. Nadia and his unborn child. He was panicking. He could feel the bile rising in his chest. He needed to get out of there but where would he go? What would he do? He should have never done it. He should have never let himself get pulled in. He should stayed in Brie's divine smelling trailer letting her touch him. Stop thinking about her! He shouted at himself. She left you!

His eyes were still to his side, body angled to listen to the conversation when he felt a hand come over his mouth. He jumped as he spun back to look. Brie stood there, her little hand reaching up to cover his mouth and her finger pressed to her lips to silence him.

"I told you not to trust anyone." She whispered angrily. Archie stood frozen in his spot for a moment, staring at her in shock. Brie pursed her lips together. "Come on Archie…" She reached out and took hold of his hand. "I don't leave people behind."

Mutely, he let her pull him away from the trailer, hiding behind boxes or other mobile homes to avoid the cops and fair people. "I didn't mean to-"

"Sush." Brie told him, her eyes scanning the area around them. "You can tell me all about your little half assed plan later."

Archie stopped her as they approached a field, far out on the outskirts of the fair. There was no one out here, only the gleaming paint of her fathers car and almost no light besides for the dissipating lights of the carnival, far away behind them. "I fucked you over. Why are you helping me?" He asked. He didn't want to get taken for a ride again.

Brie looked at him closely, licking her bottom lip. "_Because_ you hurt me." She told him quietly. "For you to hurt me I would have to care wouldn't I?" She gave his hand a little tug toward the car where he could see her father waiting patiently. "Archie please. I'll drop you off anywhere you want…or you can just come with me. Right now all that matters is that we need to get out of here!"

She cared about him…she'd come back for him. It was more than he could have hoped for after sleeping with Nadia but right now he could barely process it with everything going on. All he could focus on was how tightly she held onto his hand, how close he felt even at arms length.

Archie nodded and climbed into the back seat as she slipped into the front. Her father slammed on the gas and took off down the old country roads. They took the back ones, stayed off the interstate. Archie felt like his lungs were clasping. They hurt from the smoke and being jolted by the explosion. Finally her father slowed down the car and pulled over.

"What are we doing?" Archie asked as Brie got out of car and walked around to the back.

Jean looked at him through the rear view mirror. "Brie is changing the plates just in case we were spotted." He told him as Brie opened the trunk and got out a new set of license plates. Seconds later he heard a power drill going. He closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to clear it.

Jean frowned and turned around in the seat. "Breathe son." He commanded. Archie nodded and took a shaky breath. "Again." Archie did what he was told, keeping his eyes focused on the green ones that were so much like Brie's. It was some kind of comfort even though her fathers were harder, rimming with natural lines from his age. "One more time boy…is this your first explosion?"

"Yeah…" Archie said through another deep breath.

"_Yes_." The man corrected reaching into the glove box. He pulled out a pack of Dunhill cigarettes and handed one back to Archie. Archie reached into his pocket and retrieved his lighter, leaning forward and lighting Jean's before lighting his own. The older man turned back forward in his seat as Brie came around the car and put on a new registration sticker. "The first is always the worst. You'll get used to them. Brie is rather fond of blowing things up."

Archie frowned as Brie got into the car again and her father put it into gear. "It was an accident." He muttered.

Brie snorted a laugh making both men look at her. "Sorry." She muttered. "So tell me what the plan was idiot." She asked Archie as they started driving again.

Archie retold them the plan. He didn't bother to lie. These people would know if he was. When he got to the part about Nadia telling him about her permission he stopped for a moment, drawing both sets of eyes to him. He gulped down and pushed on.

"Did she ask you any details about the house?" Brie asked him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Brie looked back at him. "How many stories? What will the yard look like? What colours would you paint the shutters?" She asked him.

Archie bit down on his thumb as he tried to remember through the whirl wind of a night. "She asked me what colour it would be." He finally said. "Blue…she wanted a blue house on a quiet street. Why?"

Jean looked at his daughter. "I thought you said you were teaching him." He muttered irritably.

Brie rolled her eyes at her father. "We haven't exactly gotten in NLP yet daddy." She shot back. She turned back fully to Archie, her face comforting. "Nero linguistic programing Archie. When you visualize and verbalize details it makes them more real for you; cements the perceived future into your mind."

Archie let out a breath. "It doesn't matter. She's dead now…"

Jean leaned forward and adjusted the mirror. "I highly doubt that."

Brie watched the sleeping form of Archie in the rearview mirror as they drove. His cheek was pressed up against the leather seat with his mouth slightly open, taking deep breaths. His eyes worked under the lids while his arms hung limply at his sides. She bit her lip thinking about the utter cuteness and innocence that he displayed when asleep. It almost made her forget about Nadia on top of him…almost.

Jean looked at her than into the mirror. "Ike is not as bad of a con artist as we thought him to be." He said low. "If you hadn't been there he would have played this boy even better." Brie nodded slowly. "You could have saved him some trouble if you had just slept with him and cemented his attachment to you."

Brie glanced at her father. "I think you and I both know that I am too emotionally invested in him for that to be a good idea."

Her father gave a slow nod. Yes, he could see that in the way his daughter looked at the man in the back seat. He knew it when she bolted from the car to find him, knowing that she was putting herself at unnecessary risk. "So what do you want to do with him now?" He asked.

Brie sighed and looked back at Archie, twisting her body around. "I don't want you to kill him." She whispered.

"I can see that. But I don't know that we have many options."

Brie rubbed her lips together. "Let's take him." Jean quirked an eyebrow. "I know I can make him better. He's already invested in me daddy. I have intel coming in on 'Nadia' from Abel. If I can show him that he was being played it will just affirm that I'm the only one he can trust."

Jean blew out a harsh breath. "I think the problem with that plan is that you trust him as well." He frowned at her. "You love him no?"

"I _care_ about him." She hissed. "He's mine like I'm yours."

Jean nodded slowly. The only problem with that was that he knew that he loved his daughter. He gripped onto the steering wheel. "He is your cousin when we get back to the house. Do you understand? Not your lover. Not your friend." Brie raised an eyebrow. "I have selected a new partner for you. He will be at the house in the morning."

"Daddy…" Brie half whined, half sighed. "I don't want a new-"

Jean flashed her a look that told her not to argue. "I let you select Thomas…Tommy as you called him, and that was a mistake. You like the rough types…unpolished, unfinished. It is my turn to make that choice. I will not have you running half-baked scams hustling cards and blowing up warehouses on a whim to cover up your mistakes. You are my daughter." Brie leaned back into the leather seat and sighed but nodded. "You will like this new half. He is smart, witty and refined. I promise. Alexander will be a good fit for you…perhaps tame some of that recklessness."

Brie glanced back at Archie again, the sudden urge to crawl into the back seat with him was overwhelming. She pushed it away and looked forward, resting her head back against the glass and closing her eyes.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed the last few chapters!**

**Just a Note: Alexandder- think Eric from Trueblood. Shout out twinny!**

**Chapter 15:**

Archie woke as the car was shut off to Brie opening the back door and leaning over him. "Hey sleepy head. Time to get up."

He groggily opened his eyes and rubbed them with the backs of his hands to see that the sun was just starting to come up. Looking around him he climbed out of the car. They were in a circular drive way, lined with shrubs and greenery. Before him stood a tall, white country house made in the old plantation style. "Where are we?" He asked as he shut the door behind him.

"New Orleans." Jean answered.

"Home." Brie smiled at him. "Come on, let's get you settled."

Archie frowned and followed Brie as Jean retrieved his daughters bag out of the trunk. The faded old messenger bag looked awkward against his suit. "How do you guys afford this place?" He asked Brie quietly as they climbed the steps.

Brie shrugged. "On the books Daddy is a 'venture capitalist'. He invests in developing companies. Most of them we make and then we flush our…off the books earnings through them. It collects interest over the years and we pay taxes on the valid earnings."

"Holy shit." Archie muttered, walking into the large foyer with Brie. He couldn't help but grin as she let out a loud call that she was home. It echoed and rang off the walls.

Jean walked in after them, handing the bag off to Brie. "Put him in Tommy's old room. I'll have Alexander settle in the other guest room for now."

Brie nodded and Archie followed her numbly up the stairs. He was still in awe, exhausted and rather confused as to what was happening. "Who's Alexander?" He asked as she led him down a hallway.

Brie glanced to her side at him. "Don't worry about that right now Archie." She told him with a sad little smile. "Here." She opened one of the doors and let him inside. "You still look tired. There's a bathroom over there. It's yours for now so go ahead and use the shower. Get that camp fire smell off."

Archie nodded, looking at the large bed in the center of the room. God that bed looked inviting. Not even for sex…just for sleep at this point. Though he knew that he wanted to toss Brie back against that soft expanse at some point if he could. He could see her curly dark hair tossed across the white pillows as she moaned under him. "So how long am I going to be able to stay here?" He asked her.

Brie sighed and rubbed her head. She looked out the window at where the rising sun was casting a warm red light all over the room. "As long as you want." She finally said.

"But the police…"

Brie raised an eyebrow at him, looking back to silence him and crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't worry about the police Archie. They're not a problem. All you need to worry about is what's going on in your own head." She turned to the open door. "I'm going to go and see if I can find you some cloths."

"Brie wait." Archie took the few steps towards her as she turned back to him with a little shaky breath. He reached behind her and shut the door. He looked down at her face as she looked up at him, trying to avoid his eyes. She bit down on her lip as she looked at his rubbing together. "Thanks." He finally muttered, not knowing what else to say but wanting to say something to keep her this close.

Brie nodded. "It was no problem Archie." She mumbled as his arms came around her, one around her waist and the other around her shoulders. She let her forehead fall to his collarbones, resting it there as he tightened his hold on her. The hand on her shoulders moved into her hair and cradled the back of her head. Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

"You could have just left me." He muttered softly.

Brie shook her head into his warm chest and pulled slightly away, keeping her hands around his waist. No, she couldn't have. "Just get showered and relax for a bit." She told him, pulling out of his arms reluctantly.

Archie took a deep breath and watched her shut the door quietly behind her. He looked around again before sitting down on the bed. Oh man…it was so soft… he bounced on it slightly for a minute before leaning back just for five minutes.

Brie came back into the room a few minutes later with some of Tommy's old fresh cloths. They would be long on Archie but at least they were something until she could take him to get new cloths for himself that afternoon.

She looked down at the sleeping form of the man in the bed, shaking her head to herself. She set the cloths down on the desk chair and walked over to the window, shutting the blinds so that the sun  
wouldn't wake the exhausted man up.

Looking back over, she rolled her eyes at herself before slipping over to the side of the bed. She cocked her head to the side as she looked at him, running her fingers along his lips the way he always did. She grinned as she watched him smile in his sleep. Leaning down she placed a soft, lingering kiss on his bottom lip before leaving the room.

Archie woke up a few hours later to movement within the house. He pulled himself up from the warm bed and looked around. He was still in the nice room. Getting up he hopped into the delectable shower, running his fingers through his hair as the water pelted down. How had Brie managed to live at the carnival when she had all of this? Getting out he found the cloths and pulled them on. The black slacks were definitely not his style and a bit big for him but the grey t shirt worked just fine. That was a little tight against his chest but it worked.

He followed the sounds of someone moving around down the long bright hallway and stairs until he came to the kitchen. Leaning against the door frame, he rubbed his lips as he watched Brie making coffee. Her hair was tied over one shoulder in long curls that cascaded over the white linen tank top she wore. It had a deep neckline that showed off a good amount of cleavage under the ruffles at the collar. The skinny jeans that she wore were low on her thin hips, cut perfectly to fit her slender frame.

She turned her head over to shoulder to see him and smiled as he lowered his hand. "Hey." She said with a smile. "Coffee?"

Archie nodded and came more into the room, leaning forward on the island counter. Yeah she was dressed different; no more dirty t-shirts but that smile was the same. Her eyes were still soft as she looked at him. Her lips still twinged up whenever she saw his face.

Brie set the coffee in front of him before leaning down and pulling a bottle of bourbon out and setting it down in between them. Archie grinned. And she still liked to drink…good. Yeah this was still his little Brie. He reached out and opened the bottle, taking a swig from it as she laughed and took it back. She poured a bit into his coffee before pouring it into her own.

"Did you have a good nap?" She asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

Archie nodded. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. I just lay down and that bed is…well it's amazing."

Brie smiled. "Yeah I know." He raised an eyebrow. "I have the same one…don't worry. I don't sleep with my partners. Not all of them anyway." She watched as he pulled at the collar of the shirt trying to loosen it. She laughed. "I'll take you out to get some clothing after this thing I've got to do."

Archie frowned at the vagueness. "What thing?"

Brie shrugged. "Just a work thing." She said turning to put her mug in the sink.

Archie reached out and took hold of her hand from across the island. "Hey…" He stood up, still holding onto her hand and came around the counter. He stood in front of her. "What is this? Here with us."

Brie sighed and leaned back against the counter with him in front of her. Archie ran his hand up her shoulder and neck to her face, tilting her chin up with his thumb. "I'm going to teach you. You're going to learn." She told him simply.

Archie looked down at his hand , weaving his fingers in and out of hers. "Are you going to forgive me…for being an idiot?" He asked stepping closer.

Brie felt her heart pounding in her ears as his breath moved across her lips from standing so closely. His blue eyes searched hers, trying to find the answer while resisting the urge to lean in and take her lips with his again.

"Brie!" Her father's voice called. Archie yanked away from her as the old man came into the kitchen.

Behind Jean was a clean cut, blond man with blue eyes. He was tall, maybe six foot three or four with a lean frame and a handsome face. He was wearing nice clothing, a pair of black slacks and a starched white, button up shirt with the first button open. He crossed his arms over his chest and smiled at the two people standing in the room.

"Brie." Her father said with a smile. "This is Alexander. Alexander this is my daughter Brie."

Alexander crossed the kitchen in four long strides. "Its an honor Brie." He told her with a charming smile, extending his hand.

Archie reached out before Brie could. "Archie." He told him using the opportunity to nab the cuff links on his wrist.

Alexander gave a closed mouth smile. "Pleasure Archie." He told him, not even seeming to register the way that Archie gripped his hand tight as they shook. "And who are you? I like to be cautious."

"Archie is Brie's pet project." Jean told him with a little smile. "Come on gentlemen. Lets let Brie make some breakfast and the three of us will start the day off with a cigar."

"I'll be right there." Archie muttered. He looked back down at Brie. "You're dad make it a habit of setting you up with play girl models?" He asked bitterly.

Brie gave a little laugh. "That's my new partner Archie." He looked back to the door that the others had left through. "Go have a wake and bake." She joked. "I'll be in with breakfast and then we'll go get you some new cloths okay? Just you and me. No big and tall stores." She glanced down at his hand. "And give those back jerk."

Archie fringed innocence. "What?"

Brie rolled her eyes. "The cuff links Archie. Put them back. We don't steal from our own."

Archie scowled. "Who wears cuff links at 11 in the morning anyway… and he's not my own. You're my own." He muttered.

Brie held out her hand and he dropped the small golden clips into it. "We're a team. Don't steal from people in this house or Daddy is going to cut off more than your fingers."

Archie nodded slowly, leaning in and kissing her cheek. "You're such a daddy's girl." He muttered.

Brie tried to hide her flush at the words. "So what." She muttered as he left the room to follow the other two men.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

"You have to pick at least one suit." Brie told him as they stood in the department store.

Archie made a face at her. "No I don't." He half whined. "When am I ever going to wear a suit?" He watched as she adjusted the red shirt collar on his neck.

Brie smiled and looked up at him. "That's the point. You never know do you?" She asked him.

Archie scoffed. "As if you have formal wear."

Brie laughed. "I have tons of formal wear Archie." She told him. "And I look amazing in it. Legs for days. If you want to borrow one of my dresses then you can be my guest. But if you can't pull off a three inch skirt and an a-line that makes grown men fall to their knees like a whore in church, than I would buy a suit."

He groaned and the mental image of her in that dress. "Fine…which one?" He couldn't help but shake his head and grin to himself at the bright smile that went all the way up to her eyes.

Brie pursed her lips together to keep from smiling too large. She liked Archie how he was: rough, a little bit dirty, frumpy but you never knew when you needed a suit and she knew that her father would want him to have one. She'd keep him in his t-shirts with the blazer as much as she could but this was something she was pretty sure was going to make her laugh. "Try this one." She said handing it over to him.

Archie gave an over exasperated sigh and moved to the dressing room. "You know I can't afford any of this." He called out to her.

Brie leaned against the wall and ran her hand through her hair. "Don't worry about it. You're Daddy's new accountant. You're good with numbers right?"

She smiled as he laughed through the door. "Yeah I guess I am." He called back. "Shoulders are tight."

"Let me see?" Brie asked. She smiled when he came out, looking awkward and nervous. "Um…wow. Archie…" She didn't know what to say. He looked amazing. More than amazing. "You um…you have some really broad shoulders." She finally got out, trying not to remember him leaning over her, how they dwarfed her tiny body under his.

Archie raised an eyebrow. Holy shit, she was actually stammering and blushing. "You okay sweetheart?"

Brie nodded quickly. "Yeah. Let's just talk to someone about getting that tailored for you." She turned away quickly to find a sales clerk as he rubbed his lips and tried not to laugh.

* * *

Archie came into the living room later that night after getting all of the clothing and stuff put away. He wasn't used to having fresh clothing and things. Someone had come into the room and changed the sheets on the bed while he and Brie were out. He closed his eyes and let himself relax for a second. He was here. He was with her. There was a roof over their heads and they were alive. She wasn't sending him out on his own.

He smiled as he remembered the look on her face outside of the dressing room, the flush that had passed over her cheeks as she looked him up and down. She was still attracted to him. He could work with that. He knew her better than Alexander…had already gained her devotion once. He knew what her lips tasted like and what her body felt like pressed under his. He shifted on his feet slightly thinking about it before going over to the door to find out what the others were doing.

Brie was sitting in one of the big leather arm chairs in the living room where the three men had taken a cigar break that morning. She practically disappeared in it as she laughed. Alexander was sitting in the chair across from her, a glass of something in his hand as he laughed with her. Archie stood in the doorway for a moment before Brie's eyes caught him.

"Archie!" She smiled at him. "Come have a drink with us!"

Alexander turned his blond head over his shoulder to him. "Yes, join us Archie." He said with a little smile of his own as he rolled the glass in his hand.

Archie nodded and went over to Brie, nudging her over in the chair so that he could sit next to her in between the wide arms. Alexander looked amused. "So Jean tells me that you two met while you were laying low Brie?"

"Yeah," Brie took a sip of her drink as she felt Archie's knee press against hers. His arm draped over her shoulders and she briefly wondered if he was using the move she had taught him for procession on purpose. "Just by happenstance."

Archie nodded. "She started chasing after me pretty quick though."

Alexander raised an eyebrow at them. "I so did not." Brie commented with a laugh. "You practically begged me to teach you!" She pulled herself up and went to a liquor cart to grab him a drink. She wasn't really in the mood for this game. Unlike Archie she hadn't taken the time to nap, knowing that her new prospective partner was coming and that she needed to look presentable. They would have to spend some time together tonight, getting to know each other, observing each others mannerisms so that they could figure out how to compliment each other. Then there was the folder she had brought to show Archie tonight. That stirred up some feelings that she would rather not acknowledge right now.

Archie rubbed his lips as Brie came back over to him and held out the glass of whiskey, two ice cubes hitting the sides of the thick glass.

"I should be getting to sleep." Alexander said with a little smile at them as Brie moved to the sofa instead of her previous position in the chair. "We have some planning to do tomorrow."

"We do." Brie nodded. "It was nice meeting you today Alex."

Alexander smiled at her warmly before leaning down from his great height to give her a peck on the cheek. "You as well Brie. Have a good night both of you."

"You too." Archie muttered taking a long drink and watching the man walk out. Brie watched after him before sitting on the sofa. "He's um…tall." Archie commented as Brie gave a little half smile. "I don't like it."

Brie rolled her eyes at him. "I look good with tall men. It makes me look more fragile, loveable…"

"Weak?" Archie put in.

Brie narrowed her eyes at him. "Sometimes yeah. It helps the mark underestimate me."

Archie grunted. "So this whole partner thing, how does it work?"

"We get to know each other. Figure out the others quirks and how to put them off, how to work with them and compliment them." She shrugged. She was still not very interested in having a new partner so soon, even one as good as Alex. "We pull off one or two small jobs together just to work out any kinks…why?"

Archie shrugged, feeling a bit put out and jealous. "Just wondering when I'll be able to hook up with a tall blond." He said off handedly.

Brie pursed her lips together as her eyes narrowed at him. He was trying to get a rise out of her? Fine. She could play that game. "I thought you preferred brunettes." She nodded her head to the file. "That's for you Idiot."

Archie frowned and looked down at the manila folder before snatching it up. He let out a little breath as he opened it. There was a pixelated picture on the top of it of Nadia. He clearly remembered this. She had been on top of him and Brie had walked by…he'd thought she had just come upon them by accident. He'd been so ashamed and mad at himself for getting caught. He should have known better. Nothing Brie did was really by accident. He glanced up at Brie but she was looking away from him now, starring into the empty fire place.

Flipping to the next picture he saw that it was a police photo, the name Alden, Melissa scrawled against the black board in white letters.

"Damn." He muttered looking at the arrest reports and court filings. She was an con…a felon. She had been on patrol but failed to appear numerous times. She was a seductress. All of her marks were men left high and dry after a period of a few weeks. On a few occasions she had bleed them for months. "Brie I…" Brie nodded and stood up, drawing his eyes to her as she went to refill her glass. "I'm sorry." He finally got out.

Brie closed her eyes as she faced away from him, taking a long sip to steady herself. "Just be careful what you stick your dick into next time." She grumbled, walking past him and gripping his shoulder before leaving the room with the remainder of her drink.


	17. Chapter 17

**Vexing: I know! But I love them both so much in their different, dirty, evil ways!**

**Melissa: Lol she had to burn him about that!**

**Gurl: Don't worry love of my life! It's coming soon!**

**Coconutcarter: Noooooooooooooo I need you! I don't have internet either and am just sing my phone and hot spots. Right now I'm sitting in the back of Half Price Books (Used bookstore) hiding in their writing section cause no one comes back here but me and hoping that they don't realize I'm not buys anything….again. :P**

**Again guys I'm seeing a lot of hits on this story but not many reviews. Please let me know what you're liking. I assume if you're getting to chapter 17 you're liking it! :P**

**Chapter 17: **

"Are we sure that Raphael knows the Spaniards?" Brie asked as she leaned over the kitchen counter with her father and Alexander. The documents on the counter showed the investments that the Spaniard gangsters had made into his casino but that wasn't always a sure fire way to know if they knew each other personally. They went through multiple shell companies so who really knew for sure?

She didn't like not doing her own surveillance and observation. Alex seemed like a nice enough guy…trust worthy enough. It was amazing how much you could trust someone when they were scared your father could decapitate them.

Alexander pulled out some pictures from a file folder just as Archie walked into the kitchen. He quickly hid them. Brie glanced up at Archie and then back at Alex. "I told you: He's fine." She said sternly.

Alexander sighed and pulled the photos from the folder, laying them out in front of her one by one. "Anyone look familiar?"

Archie came over and stood at Brie's side with a cup of coffee in hand. "Raphael?" He muttered down to her.

"Um hum…I need him." Brie said, eyes running over the photos. "That one." She pointed at the man shaking hands in the picture with Raphael. "He was at the warehouse."

Her father grunted. "A don darling." He shook his head. "You always did love to steal from the rich."

"It's not like they need it." Brie shot back. "Victim-less crimes and all that."

Archie frowned. "Is this why you were in hiding?" He murmured to her, looking at a picture of a burnt down warehouse.

Brie glanced over her shoulder to see him standing behind her, his chest almost pressed to her back. "My ex partner was trying to rip of their warehouse safe with a few tons of gold in it while I distracted the boss man. He got a bit sloppy with the explosives. Needless to say I needed to make a quick exit. He's not going to be happy with that scar in his tummy." Archie raised an eyebrow at her.

"She kicked him in the stomach with a six inch stiletto high heel." Her father muttered and Archie cringed.

"He had a gun on me! What was I meant to do?" Brie defended herself. "I don't like guns."

"No, just pointy objects." Jean muttered. "So you go to the casino…speak with Raphael, get him to call off the Spaniards… we can put this whole mess behind us. And you will listen to me next time when I say that teaming up with a greaser from Brooklyn in a bad match."

"Speaking ill of the dead is kind of below the belt daddy." Brie said blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

"Tonight than?" Alexander asked.

Archie bit down into his lip, looking at the back of Brie's head. He didn't like this plan. Not at all. Raphael had given him this scar of his cheek. He didn't need to see Brie hurt again…couldn't bare to see it.

"Tonight sounds good." Brie agreed, beginning to put the photos and notes back into the folder.

Alexander glanced up at Archie. "It's a date." He said pointedly with a small sly smile playing on his lips. Archie narrowed his eyes at him more, making his grin spread wider.

* * *

Archie wandered into the living room after Jean giving him a lecture on NLP and ways to gain trust. The old man who everyone seemed to be secretly scared shit-less of was actually pretty patient. He had told Archie that Brie wanted him so he would comply, that he had never been able to deny Brie anything that she wanted. He warned him though about the consequences (in great and vivid detail) if he even suspected Archie was stealing from them or had a larger agenda. Archie had bitten down on his tongue, wondering if having a thing for his daughter and wanted to get her into bed would be considered a "larger agenda."

He leaned against one the backs of the old arm chairs as he watched Brie methodically tossing the photos from earlier that day into the blazing fire in the hearth.

Brie looked up at him and smiled. "How was your first lesson?" She asked him.

Archie rubbed the back of his head. "Honestly…you're dad's a bit scary."

Brie gave a little giggling laugh. "Yeah he can be pretty intense." She agreed as he came around the chair to stand closer to her.

"This thing tonight…it's not a good idea." He finally said what was nagging at him all day. "That guy; he could sell you out or hurt you."

Brie glanced up at him as she continued to throw pictures one by one into the fire. "He's harmless Archie. Just a low level shark…not even a shark. He's the fish that eats the food out of the sharks teeth."

Archie reached out and stopped her hand, bringing it the scar on his cheek. "He did this." He told her.

Brie stopped slowly and bent to put the remaining items on the table, turning all the way in front of him while keeping her hand on his face where he held it. "He's the one that cut you?" She asked.

Archie slowly nodded as her thumb moved along the slightly deformed skin. "For hustling a few cards. What do you think he's going to do if he finds a little girl demanding something from him?"

Brie frowned, her eyes following her fingers. "If he's the one who hurt you, than he's the one that needs to be worried about what we are going to do to him." She told Archie, taking her hand away from his soft cheek.

"Brie." Archie tried as she picked up the stack again and tossed the remaining evidence into the fire. "He's dangerous. He's a_ bad _guy!"

Brie sighed and looked at him and then back at the fire. "God dammit Archie." She muttered. "Don't you get it? Yeah I have a bit more class than most of the others; Daddy and I have rules and limits but we are _not_ the good guys." She lifted her hands to his face again and brought him down for a hard but chaste kiss. "_We_ are dangerous." She whispered. "Tell me you understand that?"

Archie nodded slowly, though he knew that he didn't completely believe it. Yeah, he could see Jean or Alexander being dangerous but little Brie? No…she was not a bad guy. She was too sweet. She watched after him too well.

Brie licked her lips as she looked at him, still looking down at her with those stupid blue eyes that made her feel all giddy and weak. "I have to go get ready. I'll be back by two am. Please don't do anything stupid?"

Archie cracked a half grin at her. "I can't make that promise."


	18. Chapter 18

**JavaNut: Thank you!**

**Coconutcarter: Lol! Yes I always put on my glasses so that I look like I'm doing something important and not writing/ reading fan fiction.**

**Gurl: Lol that smirk is so priceless!**

**Chapter 18:**

Archie lay against the floor boards in the back seat of the Lexis, waiting in the cramped position. It was a good thing he had told Brie that he couldn't not get into trouble because the idea to sneak along and keep an eye on her had been over whelming. Finally he heard movement in the garage and shrugged down more as Alexander and Brie's voices came to him.

"Here we are." Alexander said as he opened the door for Brie. Archie squinted his eyes to see her long bare legs clad in black high heels…damn they were high. She was right, they made her legs go on for days. He craned his neck around just the slightest of bits to let his eyes travel up her thighs until he reached the lavender hem of her shirt dress. He smirked to himself and pursed his lips to keep from grinning.

Brie climbed into the passenger's seat and Alexander came around to the driver's side. They took off in relative silence.

"So how long have you been running surveillance for this?" Brie finally asked Alexander. Archie was glad about the talking. He was having a hard time controlling his breathing and was afraid they would hear it.

Alexander glanced over at her. "About 3 months for your father. He found me with another team but I guess we just didn't get along."

"How so?" Brie asked curious. If he did not play well with others she wanted to know now. He certainly seemed to like raddling Archie.

Alexander sighed. "They're scores were just not as well planned as I would have liked. You know how some people just go in on the fly? They liked to do that."

Brie nodded slightly. "Yeah I've had a few partners that were the other way around though. They would make a plan and then just stick to it completely…forget how to improvise."

Alexander smiled and nodded. "Are you flexible?" Archie rolled his eyes as he heard the question. Still, he could remember what her legs found up coming up to his sides as he leaned over her in the trailer. He closed his eyes and tried not to remember too much.

Brie eyed him. "I'm going to assume you mean in the con?"

Alexander laughed. "Just a bit of harmless flirting to ease the tension Brie." He assured her with a smile. "Though it doesn't appear your boy appreciates it."

"His name is Archie." Brie reminded him, making Archie smile to himself. "And you be nice to him. He has a lot of potential."

Alexander nodded, still smiling to himself. "Twenty questions…con style?"

Brie sighed to herself. "Flexible but with enough research to back it up."

"Good." Alexander nodded. "Day or night?"

_Night, _Archie answered for her in his head.

"Night…everyone is more relaxed at night. They feel safer." Brie answered. "You?"

Alexander leaned back in the seat and Archie shifted his feet away, hoping that he wouldn't feel him. "Day…no one suspects it. But I can work with that. Wine or beer?"

_Vodka, _Archie answered again for her right as they hit a bump in the road. Archie's head hit the frame of the seat and he couldn't help but make a pained gasp.

Brie's head whipped around and leaned over the center console. "Son of a bitch!" She yelled as Archie pulled himself up, rubbing his head.

"Vodka…she likes vodka." He said as Alexander gave him an amused smile, glancing over his shoulder.

"Your father was right." Alexander chuckled. "You do have a dirty mouth."

Archie grinned to himself, still rubbing the little bump on his head from the hard seat. "I like her dirty mouth." He commented, hoping it would soften her up.

"I'm sure you do…Archie, are you chaperoning us?" Alexander laughed, glancing at Brie's irritated face. "Oh come on Brie…it's kind of funny. Look. He even put on his suit."

Archie looked at her angry face, trying to ignore the other man completely. "I just didn't want you going in there alone."

Alexander raised his hand slightly, keeping his eyes on the road. "Right here. The guy who was defending you kid."

"My name is Archie ass hole." Archie shot at him. "Not boy or kid or idiot or monkey."

Alexander raised an eyebrow, glancing back at Brie again. "Monkey?"

Brie rolled her eyes at him. "Don't ask." She murmured. "Just…turn the car around." He wasn't ready for this. She didn't want Raphael to see him and cut up his handsome face again.

Alexander shook his head. "If we're late we could miss our window for Raphael." He reminded her as she pursed her lips together. "You said you were flexible. Think of him as a back-up…"

It was Archie's turn to scowl. "I am not a back-up." He muttered, leaning back in the seat and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fine." Brie turned back in the seat, looking out onto the road in front of them. "But you're staying in the car and you are in so much trouble."

"Sure Teach. Whatever you say." Archie gave the seat a little kick, smiling when she scowled harder. He smirked to himself. Yeah, he was not staying in the car.

* * *

"There's no way we are going to be able to get him out of that office without bait." Alexander muttered from behind her as they walked down one of the back hallways. Raphael wasn't working the floor so they knew that he had to be in the office.

Brie nodded. She knew that of coarse and she only knew one good way to bait Raphael out of that office. She didn't want to do it. "Do you think that he just sits up there with a cigar and a monicole and counts his money? Thats how I always picture them."

Alexander chuckled. "You're adorable."

Glancing to the side she heard footsteps coming. "Security." She muttered.

Alexander grabbed her wrist and pulled. "Kiss me." He muttered as he seized the back of her neck and tilted her face up so that his lips could find hers. If security saw them they would just be a tipsy couple looking for a bit of privacy. Brie closed her eyes and tried to shut her mind off for a moment. But it didn't work. It hadn't ever not worked before. She was thinking about something else…someone else. She knew whose lips she was thinking about but refused to even think the name.

"What the hell?"

Brie turned, separating her lips from Alexander's to see Archie standing at the end of the hall, looking irritated. "We thought you were security."

"Um hum." Archie muttered, jealousy rolling around in his gut like a wet stone. "Sure." He stalked away. Those lips had been pressed against his a few hours before. Granted it was a chaste kiss and she probably was making out with the other handsome man for a reason...besides the fact that he was good looking… and tall. God was that mother fucker tall and so unbelievably blond! Fuck him. Fuck them both.

Brie let out a little breath of annoyance through her nose. What? He got to run around sleeping with other people but when she kissed another man to protect herself that was a crime? Fucking Archie. "I have an idea."

Alexander let out a little chuckle, drawing her eyes back to him. "You are one hell of a kisser Miss. Brie." He joked with a half charming, half seductive smile.

Brie pulled herself away from him. "Please keep your mind in the game! And for your information, I was thinking of someone else." She told him with a quirk of her eyebrow.

"Lucky man." Alexander said, shaking his head and following her down the hall.

"Hey." Brie hurried after Archie as fast as she could without drawing attention. "Where are you going?"

Archie turned to her annoyance still clearly on his face. She knew he wanted her. Damn, she had always known and yet she was going to kiss another man? "I'm going to wait in the car…just like you said _teach."_

"Nah ah." Brie said grabbing hold of his hand and pulling him into a secluded alcove. She like that he was calling her that…didn't like the impersonal feeling of it when all that she could think about was the feeling of his lips on hers. "You got out of the car so now you're in play."

"In play?" He muttered, rubbing his lips. "What the hell does that mean? What does any of this mean Brie? You're always telling me not to worry and here I am…worrying and in the fucking dark!"

Brie stepped closer to him. "It means I need you." She admitted quietly.

Archie frowned down at her taking in her pretty face and the warmth that was coming off of her body. "I know what you're doing. You taught me all of this: the closeness, the big soft eyes…you're trying to get what you want." Brie just nodded at him as his hand reflexively came up and stroked her arm. "You don't need me. You have _him_."

Brie sighed and shook her head. "Really? You're going to play that card with me? I caught you fucking another woman when I wouldn't give into you immediately!"

"I didn't…not that night." He admitted. "When I saw you I couldn't…ya know."

"Get it up?" Brie finished when he trailed off. Wow, he really knew how to compliment a girl, she thought bitterly. "Well even if you couldn't, that doesn't mean you didn't want to." Her words tasted bitter even to her. "And you did some other times that's for sure."

Archie pressed his lips together. "I was thinking about you." He said softly. _Every single time. _

Brie looked up at him through skeptically eyes. "What a coincidence because when I kissed Alex, I was thinking about you." She looked away shamefully, crossing her arms over her chest. The statement started out sarcastic and hurtful but turned into a soft confession that she couldn't hold back.

Archie let out a long breathe. He looked back out over the casino floor. "What do you need me to do?" He finally asked.

Brie frowned and looked back at him. She didn't want to do this but couldn't think of another way to get a face to face. "I need you to lure Raphael out of his office." She finally said.

He gulped down. "And how am I supposed to do that?" He watched as Brie reached into the tiny clutch purse and pulled out a few cards. "Oh…man. You come prepared."

Brie gave him a little sly smile. "I was a girl scout."


	19. Chapter 19

**Coconutcarter: Yeah they really do care about each other…Brie is just still a bit angry at him but that was kind of settled last chapter. **

**Gurl: Men, such big babies! "I want her so you can't touch her!" *Cries and stomps feet* **

**Melissa: Lol yeah she does have it bad for Archie. She's been around con artists her whole life so Alexander is nothing unique to her even if he is a good looking man. Brie would never let anything happen to her Archie!**

**Chapter 19:**

Brie slid into one of the chairs at the black jack table next to Archie, watching as he instantly lit up to calm his nerves. Honestly he looked fine. He wasn't twitching and wasn't looking around too much. He was actually rather good at this now that Brie had pointed out his tells to him. She draped her arm over his shoulders and let her thumb run over the back of his neck comfortingly. Alexander stood toward the back of the slot machines, seemingly counting his winning but really keeping an eye out.

Archie exhaled as the cards were laid out and he looked at his own. Her fingers were making goose bumps appear pleasurably on the back of his neck and he leaned into the touch with a little smile. He was still holding onto the fact that she wanted it to be him she was kissing and smiled slightly to himself.

"Sweetie." He said turning to her and drawing the dealer's attention to Brie and his faces. The male dealer was clearly already a little bit distracted by Brie's dress. He briefly wondered if she had chosen this table on purpose. "You think you could go get me a drink?" Archie asked her.

"Sure thing baby." She said in a southern bell accent, standing up and giving him a little kiss on the cheek, giving the dealer a good view of her cleavage.

Archie's tongue darted out across his bottom lip. He'd been distracted himself by that one and had missed his window for a switch so he turned in his seat, drawing the dealers eyes to her again as she walked away, hips swaying. "Good looking girl huh?" He asked as he switched out the cards of a lower number in his sleeve. He had to admit, the accent was comical and convincing at the same time. Scarlett O'Hare with a touch of Pretty Woman.

"Yes sir." The dealer said.

Brie came over with Archie's drink in her hand before setting it on the slot machine and taking the seat, glancing at Archie but not at Alexander. "How's he doing?" She asked putting a quarter into the slot.

Alexander kept his eyes on the tokens in his hands and the brief case sitting beside him. "He's actually pretty good at this." He muttered moving his lips as little as he could. "I don't think he's going to get caught."

Brie pulled the lever and glanced back over. He was using his smoke to hide how much he was touching his lips (He must have finally picked up on why she didn't want him to do that) and his eyes weren't darting around. "Damn." As much as she didn't want him to get caught, that was sort of the entire point of this exercise. "The second Raphael sees that cut on his face we're going to have him out of that office."

Alexander nodded. "Yes, but we have to get him to notice first."

Brie made a sound of annoyance in her throat. "I hope he can catch." She muttered. Pulling herself up from the chair Brie adjusted the short lavender dress and grabbed the drink. Getting closer to the table she accidently-on-purpose let her heel slip to the side and took a tumble, spilling her drink on one of the other players, being sure to avoid the table and cards so that the game could continue. Archie reached out quickly and grabbed her around the waist to catch her, one strong arm pulling her close and up against him.

"Oh my gosh! I am so, so, so sorry!" Brie said quickly to the other man. "Here let me…" She picked up a napkin and started to dab at his suit.

"Smooth _Buttercup_." Archie muttered in her ear, still holding tightly onto her waist. "Now they're going to be watching the table."

Brie glanced over her shoulder at him with a little smirk. "That's the point. Keep going." She whispered, keeping her accent in place. "Sugar, I am so sorry! Here! Let me get you to an ATM so I can give you some money to get that fine suit dry cleaned."

The older man shook his head and continued to take the napkin to his suit. "That's alright honey." He muttered.

"No sir!" Brie pulled herself away from Archie's arms and he resisted the urge to whine at the lose of contact. "My daddy didn't raise me rude! I insist. Maybe you could hold onto my arm though. Keep clumsy me from falling again!"

The middle aged man was more than happy to accommodate her, linking his arms through hers. Archie let out a little breath and shook his head to himself, smiling. No her daddy did not raise someone rude, just an evil little master mind. "Women right?" He laughed to the others. "I'll hit." He said looking directly up at the camera.

* * *

Brie and Alexander raced down the hall where Alex had seen the two thugs drag Archie. She had snarled at him for not backing Archie up right away but it was the plan. They needed some privacy with Raphael and he would be sure to deal with a man that had tried to steal from him twice himself.

Pushing the exit open they moved down the stairs, Alexander pulling a gun from under his suit jacket behind her.

Archie grunted as he got a punch to the stomach by one of the men. His hair was yanked back by Raphael. "Thought I told you once to remember boy! You steal from me again? How crazy are you?"

"Enough." Brie said walking up towards them with Alexander holding up the .35 behind her. "He's with me."

Raphael looked up at her, a hand still gripping the hair on the back of Archie's head. "With you? You three try and steal from me?"

Brie shook her head and tried not to show the pain that was coiling in her stomach at seeing Archie hurt. "No one's cashed in any chips Raphael." She told him solidly keeping her eyes on his face and trying not to look at Archie. If she did she would break her face and show emotion. She had to wait for that…not here. In the car she could. When they got home she could.

One of the men punched Archie in the ribs again and Brie licked her lips, trying not to look down at him again as she heard the fist connect. "He punches him again, shot him." She told Alexander. She didn't like guns but being able to command the man behind her with one certainly showed that she was in control.

Alexander cocked the gun. "My pleasure." He said loudly.

Brie tilted her neck to the side. "You'll have to excuse our methods…but I don't think you would want your receptionist knowing about me wanting to talk to you."

"Kind of hard to have a conversation with a gun pointed at me." Raphael told her, amused.

Brie shrugged, catching Archie's eyes as he looked up at her. He was scared shitless right now. His stomach hurt from being punched. How far would she let this go? "Let him go and my partner here will take his finger off the trigger." She reasoned.

Raphael looked down at Archie before motioning for his men to let him go seemingly getting bored and wanting to move this along. Archie immediately headed over to them, watching as Alexander tilted his head for him to come beside him behind Brie. He didn't. Instead he stood at her side just a step behind her, touching his stomach and ribs and probing for damage.

"Alright…" Raphael said as Alexander lowered the gun. "Let's talk pretty girl. Who are you?"

"Guess." She said simply, making him laugh.

"That's no way to start a conversation." He chuckled, watching as she pushed some of the hair back from her ear. "Ah," He said stiffening at the sight of the tattoo. "What do you want?"

Brie glanced at his two enforcers before looking back at him. "I want a favor."

"A favor?" Raphael repeated. "And what would that be?"

"We need you to have your business partners call off the hit on her." Alexander said for her, nodding at Brie. He stepped forward and put a brief case in front of Brie in between her and the men. "That's 40 thousand."

Raphael looked at the brief case skeptically. "Her bounty is one million. Is that a joke?"

Archie looked at Brie in surprise. Holy shit. He knew that she was worth a lot…most of all in that killer dress but a million?!

Brie gave a little smile. "My associate here," She said nodding over to Alexander. "Has been putting a magnet on each of your slot machines tonight. He can trigger them to go off any time he wants. As you might have noticed he's kind of got an itchy trigger finger too. You'll lose a lot more than a million. How many did you manage to get them on?"

"Thirty seven." Alexander said with a shrug. "I was having a slow night."

"That's 37 million dollars if they each hit the jackpot… and odds are at least two of them will. Plus the thousands of extra just from getting close." Archie put in, still rubbing his stomach.

Raphael's face dropped. "Bad way to start off a negotiation." He told them in a growl.

"Oh we wouldn't pull it if we get out of here unharmed." Alexander put it.

"And I'll personally owe you a favor." Brie said solidly. "And I think you know that I favor from me is a big deal."

Raphael gave a little nod, considering. "Alright. But I catch your_ bait_ in here again," He looked pointedly at Archie. "No amount of guns or favors are going to stop me."

Brie glanced back at Archie. "Deal." Brie frowned at the way that Raphael was still looking at her like an innocent little girl with two men as her only protection. She needed to prove to these gangsters that she was as tough as them; as vicious as they were. That calling off the Spaniards would be beneficial for them in the long run. Most of all she needed to get the rage at seeing Archie with a fist in his ribs about out of her system.

Archie frowned as she walked towards the three Dominicans. He went to reach out and stop her but Alexander reached out a hand and grabbed his arm, shaking his head at him. Archie gulped down.

"Which one of your men gave him that scar?" She asked Raphael with more strength than she felt. She pointed at her cheek to indicate what she meant. She didn't like hurting people. Stealing from them was fine but physical pain was her father's job, not hers.

Raphael raised an eyebrow. "You need blood?"

Brie pursed her lips together. "An eye for an eye." She asserted.

Raphael gave her a little approving smirk. "Marcus…give her your knife." He told his man with a little nod at her.

Marcus, the fat one who had been holding Archie while the other hit him handed her the pen knife. Brie felt it in her hand for a moment before grabbing the fat mans face and swiping the knife across his cheek. She held his chin tight as he staggered. "Next time you lay a hand on my man or my team I will come back here and slit your god damn throat. Understand?"

Archie felt his chest tighten up with the words. _Her man. _He rubbed his lips as he heard it and Alexander glanced at him.

The man nodded mutely, holding his cheek, which she was sure would need stitches together.

Brie let out a breath and released his chin. He staggered back as Raphael crossed his arms over his chest and looked at her. Brie glanced at him, trying to still fridge being steadfast. "Do we still have a deal?"

"I expect any favor you give me to be worth it."

Brie nodded. "It will be." She turned back to Archie and Alexander and walked over to them. "Lets go. Oh," She looked back over her shoulder at Raphael as she put an arm around Archie's waist to help him walk straight. "Just a side note. I wouldn't run that money through Ike. That little piece of advice is free."

When they got back to the car Archie was surprised when Brie climbed into the back seat beside him. He watched her stern face fall instantly into a worried one as Alexander started up the car and maneuvered them out of the parking lot. Reaching up Brie turned on the light above them and pulled his shirt from the pants.

Archie chewed on the inside of his lip, trying to think of something to take his mind off the fact that she was practically undressing him in the back seat. "Does that magnet thing really work?" He asked.

"No but it sounded good didn't it?" Alexander glanced into the rear view mirror as Archie watched her face and the way she was chewing on her bottom lip as she started to undo the buttons of his shirt. "No sex back there." Alexander tried to joke, watching them. Her father was not going to like this…the intimacy that passed between them was too real, too raw, too emotional.

"Just get us home." Brie's worried voice muttered. She pulled Archie's shirt open and looked at the place where he'd been hit before glancing up at his face. "I'm so sorry." She whispered so Alex couldn't hear.

Archie shook his head as he felt her warm little hands run across the soar part of his stomach. "I'm okay." He muttered. "You got there right when they started."

Brie nodded and looked back down at his skin. "It probably doesn't matter but you just helped save my life tonight."

Archie frowned and lifted her face to his. "It matters." He muttered before catching her lips with his and kissing her deeply. Her mouth opened up for him right away and he felt sparks of pleasure just from the idea that she wanted him and had called him 'her man'. His hands ran along both of her cheeks as they twisted their tongues together. He pulled her in closer as her breathing picked up. Brie's heart was pounding in her chest. God, if only Alexander wasn't in the car.

Breaking away she looked at him as his continued to run his fingers over her cheeks.


	20. Chapter 20

**Smut chapter….finally! I know! xoxoxo**

**Chapter 20:**

"How did she do?" Jean asked as he watched his daughter walk wordlessly up the stairs.

Alex shrugged. "She got it done." He muttered, moving with Jean into the study.

Jean poured them both a drink. "Did she get it done the way we wanted?"

Alexander frowned. "She slit a mans cheek open," He took the glass. "But she did it for that stupid kid. If he hadn't been hurt I think she would have just kept playing her mind games."

Jean sighed and sat down. "You need to make her more angry. Not just for the boy but in her gut. She's never going to survive like this. She is too old to just be playing mind games. She needs to learn how to hurt and kill. I thought that getting that idiot Tommy killed would have snapped her into rage but she still never got there. These moral codes…they will not work forever."

Alexander nodded. "The boy is going to be a problem."

"How so?" Jean asked crossing his legs. "If he's making her vicious than that's what needs to be done."

Alexander frowned and sat across from him, bracing his forearms on his knees. "I think just from seeing them together that she's falling in love with him."

Jean frowned hard at him. "Brie is very good at faking those emotions."

"No," Alexander said shaking his head. "She's not faking it."

Jean pursed his lips together. "Push into her harder. If you can bring her into you and make the boy angry than she will get upset…upset is the closest thing to rage I have ever seen her with. We can work from there."

Alexander frowned. "Why don't we just kill the kid?"

Jean shook his head. "No, she will suspect something if we do that right away. Better to set up the domino's and let them fall. If we can make them hate each other that will bring her farther into us." He moved the glass around in his hand. "How did you break someone down when you tortured them Alexander? You break their bodies yes but you have to break down their minds more. Make the boy hate her, make her hate the boy and that will come easy."

He wished he could find that bitch Melissa. That would put a quick end to this. If Brie saw her precious little Archie with that whore again that would destroy her faith in people. None the less, having this boy around might just do the trick on its own; break her of her faith in people; make her willing to hurt them. Let her have him for a little while and he would eventually break her heart.

Alexander frowned. "Do you really want to break your daughter?" He asked.

Jean frowned. "She'll build back up again. She always does. But if she wants to survive long term she needs to become more brutal."

* * *

Brie scrubbed at her hands in the bathroom sink. She had long since got the little bit of blood off from cutting the man's cheek but she kept washing.

What was she becoming? She should have never put Archie into that position. Taking deep breaths with her hands braced against the sink, she closed her eyes. Her dress and cloths were still perfect but she could feel that she was out of control. That had been too close. That knife had been way to close to Archie's face again and she knew that she had been on the verge of freaking out even as she spoke calmly.

She kept her eyes closed as she heard the door open and someone step through. The smell of cigarettes hit her and she let out a little breath, shoulders slumping and body relaxing.

Archie walked up behind her slowly, running his hands along her waist for a moment before moving to the zipper of her dress, pulling it down carefully in case she wanted to force him away. He began to slowly place sucking kisses on her neck and shoulder, grinning against her skin when he saw her smiling slightly through the mirror.

Brie opened her eyes as she turned her head over her shoulder, her nose brushing his as he separated from her neck. His eyes were hooded and dark, clearly wanting this as much as he had before.

"Don't tell me to stop." He muttered right before he kissed her hard. He felt her gasp against his lips and for a moment he was afraid she was going to pull away but she turned, her arms encircling his neck and yanking him closer. Her teeth nipped at his bottom lip encouragingly and he wasted no time thrusting his tongue into her mouth. They fell back against the sink as he groaned and she let out a little whimper, pinned in between his warm body and the cold counter.

Brie pulled at the buttons of his shirt, needing to be closer as he lifted her onto the counter. Archie quickly helped her finish with the buttons with the hand that wasn't in her hair, tugging the hair on the back of her neck so that he could continue to deepen the feverish kiss. Shrugging the shirt off and onto the ground, he brought his hand around her back and yanked at the zipper on the back of her dress the rest of the way down.

He hated seeing Alexander's hands all over her. Absolutely detested it and was determine to be the one who got to touch her everywhere. He pulled the dress from her shoulders and let it fall, nipping and kissing at her collarbones as she let out a little whimper of appreciation.

Brie bit her lip as she reached in between them and pulled at his belt while he continued to assault her neck feverishly. She whimpered as his teeth nipped into her pulse, pretty sure that he was going to be leaving marks but at this point unable to care. She yanked the belt off and bent her head down so that he would come up from her neck.

Archie groaned into her mouth as he felt her fingers brush against him while she pulled at the button of his pants and undid the zipper. This time he didn't have to pretend. This time it was really her wrapped all around him. His hips moved against her and she let out that little gasp that he had liked so much the night in her trailer. He felt himself hardening up even more at the sound and the vibration it sent through his mouth then all the way threw his body. "Condom." He managed to finally grit out against her lips.

Brie struggled to lean over without detaching from his lips and fumbled around to find the handle of one of the drawers.

Archie let out a little hoarse laugh and pulled his lips away, reaching for it and yanking to drawer open. "Prepared again… thank god for the girl scouts." He joked, making her blush and bury her face in his shoulder with embarrassment. He laughed harder but it turned into a low groan and she ran her tongue along his ears shell. The noise made her shiver against him as he pulled away to slide her underwear off her legs, touching as much of her as he could along the way. She leaned back on her hands as he pushed his pants all the way down and kicked them to the side, slipping the condom on while leaning forward to take one of her nipples into his mouth and lave it with his tongue.

Brie bit down into her lower lip hard, trying to hold onto coherent thought as a million sensations flooded through her body. To be honest she had wanted this for a while. Probably since that first night that he had come into her trailer with Ike's money…thinking that this was what he would be getting. She was yanked out of her thoughts as his fingers ran up her center, bright eyes watching her face as she threw her neck back and cried out.

Archie let out a small breath, glad that she was wet enough for him because there was no way that he could wait any longer. In the back of his mind he knew that the bed was only about ten feet out that door but he doubted he could make it. By the feel of her neither could Brie. Her legs wrapped around his hips, pulling him back to kiss her passionately.

He was surprised how passionate and sweet could still be conveyed in one kiss; tender and hot…contradictions at the same time. Archie wrapped one arm around her shoulders and upper back while the other folded around her waist, bringing her more forward.

She gasped and whimpered, pulling at his hair gently as he slowly edged into her, hiding his face in her skin to keep his own grunts and harsh breaths as quiet as they could be. She could feel his rapid breaths and pants in her neck as he stood there clenching onto her for a minute.

She was so warm…so unbelievably tight. He could tell it had been a while for her because she was already trembling around him. He shouldn't be doing this to her…not like this. Not up against a mirror like that whore Nadia…Melissa or whatever the hell her name was. "Hang on." He grunted, slipping a hand under her ass and lifting her warm body, still wrapped around him, so that he wouldn't have to separate from her.

Brie moaned softly at the movement and how it pushed him even deeper into her, hanging onto him and kissing his neck as he carried her into the bedroom. They both fell to the bed and she could help but let out a whimpering laugh as he stumbled and fell on top of her, his hands braced on either side of her head.

Archie let out a little chuckle too, unable to help himself. He smoothed some of the hair away from her face, kissing her deep and slow as he rotated his hips and turned her laugh into a quick gasp. Her hips moved with his, making him thrust and move harder into the contracting muscles. She pressed her nose to his and brought her hand up to run over the scar on his cheek, taking in his face with hazing…maybe even loving eyes.

Archie turned his face to kiss her fingers lightly, watching as she closed her eyes and pulled her bottom lip into her mouth. He panted harder and leaned down, thrusting hard while sucking her lip into his mouth and nibbling on it.

Brie pulled his closer with her arms around his neck, nails scraping his skin lightly as her legs clamped tighter around his sides. She could feel herself getting closer to falling apart with each move he made. "Archie…please…" She begged and he began to move faster, panting hard and knowing that he wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer. He begged that he would be able to last just a little bit longer…just long enough to feel…

Every muscle in Brie's body tightened and exploded at once, her whole body shaking as Archie's arms clamped around her and he began to move more recklessly. She tried to muffle her wail of pleasure into his chest, her nails digging into his skin and the feeling of her warm breath sent him over the edge. He groaned into her neck as he emptied himself, his body shaking and muscles fracturing at the feeling that ran throughout his entire being. He had never felt release so entirely. He couldn't move for a few long minutes, feeling her shaking under him as her fingers played with the hair on the back of his neck.

"Damn." He finally muttered weakly, pushing himself onto his elbows over her. He smiled to himself at the light layer of perspiration on her skin and the way her chest was still rising and falling against his quickly. "You look…amazing right now." He muttered kissing her lips lightly.

Brie opened her eyes and looked up at him, raising her hand to run across his face. "Wow." He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Just…wow." She said again, craning her neck up to kiss him again as he slipped out of her.

Archie smiled slightly at the sound of displeasure she made at the loss. "I'll be right back." He muttered, pushing himself up and walking unsteadily over to the bathroom.

When he came out of the bathroom, Brie had pulled the covers back and was cuddled up in them, her hair a mess on the pillows. She sat up slightly as he looked around, unsure. He didn't know if he should stay or go. His eyes darted to the door than back to the inviting bed.

"Stay?" Brie asked him. "I mean if you want to. You don't have to."

Archie nodded quickly and dropped the cloths he had carried out of the bathroom to the ground. He crawled up the bed. "Yeah. I want to." He murmured, slipping under the covers with her and putting a hand over her hip as he gave a content sigh. They lay facing each other, her hand coming up to his chest as his fingers ran up and down her side.

"You're not going to sleep with Alexander are you?" He blurted out.

Brie frowned slightly. "I was never going to." She muttered. "I wanted you."

Archie nodded slowly. "Do you still want…well me?"

She gave a little weak laugh. "I can't feel my lower body right now so I'm going to go with yes." He laughed too and shook his head at her. Brie licked her lips and looked at him. "I care about you Archie."

He nodded. "I kind of figured." He leaned forward and touched his lips to hers again. She smiled and snuggled into him, her little naked body pressed up to his. He didn't know what a big deal that actually was.


	21. Chapter 21

So if you haven't noticed one of the things that got me about Tough Luck was how Archie became such a good con artist in the time after the explosion. No offence but he wasn't all that great in the beginning and then all of the sudden he knew how to read people. That's what Brie is sort of teaching him in this time.

Sorry about how long it is taking me with this chapter. Let me know if you have any ideas. I'm always looking for ideas. I know where I am going but if you have anything you want to see happen between Brie and Archie let me know!

Chapter 21:

Archie walked into the kitchen, rubbing his face as he moved. Smiling, he saw Brie at the counter in a pair of sleeping shorts and a tank top, her little lean body moving as soft blues played on the radio. He grinned to himself as he remembered that little body nestled into his the night before. Her fingers clenched in and out on his skin as she slept, breaths passing over his chest and giving him goose bumps and hardening his nipples.

Coming up behind her he rested his hands on her hips. Brie smiled and pressed back into him, enticing a small groan as her hips continued to move with the music. "Where're the others?" He muttered in her ear.

A shiver went down Brie's spine as his hand slipped under the elastic of her pants. "Out." She whispered. Archie's hand dipped lower and around the front of the shorts. Brie bit her lip and leaned her head back onto his chest as he started to explore her with his talented rough fingers.

He grinned to himself as her breaths became shorter. "Good." He muttered in her ear, giving a little smirk as she shivered under his breath. He buried his face into her neck and Brie could feel him grinning at her reaction as his fingers circled around her most sensitive spots. "We've got some time to make up for."

"We should go upstairs…" Brie finally managed to get out as his fingers left her and pried at the band of her shorts.

Archie shook his head. "I thought they were out." His fingers pulled the pants down slightly, biting on the side of his lip as he watched her cute little ass appear.

Brie nodded against him. "They are. It's just…in the kitchen?"

Archie chuckled to himself sadistically. "I thought you said you were _bad_." He taunted, giving her back a little nudge forward so she would lean over the counter and wedging her legs apart with his.

* * *

Brie smiled into the mirror at the hair salon as she looked at the new hair cut. She had gotten cute little fridged bangs cut in giving her face a more Audrey Hepburn look and hand framed her face so that it gave her heart shaped face more of a soft aspect. She sighed and nodded. "Thanks." She muttered as she got up out of the chair.

She smiled as she saw Archie sitting in the waiting room, legs crossed as he squinted at a magazine. He glanced up at her and did a double take not recognizing her right away. "Wow…that makes your face look…different."

Brie smiled as he stood up and they went to leave the salon. "That's kind of the point." She told him and Archie quirked an eyebrow. "It's easy. You can change your face with hair and make up. You can adjust body types with cloths and patterns. It's grifter 101."

Archie shook his head as she linked her arm with his as they walked out onto the street. Tilting his head he lit up a smoke. "Grifter 101 huh? Is that what today is about?"

Brie smiled and shook her head. "No, today is about reconnection for me."

He looked at her in a little bit of surprise. "I thought we did that last night." He gave a devilish little smile and squeezed her arm. "And again this morning."

Brie laughed. "Not that type of connection pervert." She joked. "I mean with the people here. That's why I told you that you didn't need to come."

Archie rolled his eyes. "Yeah because I totally wanted to stay in the house with your dad and Mr. Tall Blond and Handsome." He put in. "So where are we going?"

Brie smiled at him and shook her head. "You're going to be so bored…" She muttered under her breath. "We're going to the park. There are some old friends there that I haven't been able to see."

Archie grinned as he smoked and watched Brie. She had lead him to the place in the park that he had least expected. There were stone tables set up in the soft green grass with all different kinds of old people: Black, White, Chinese. They were set up in groups of 4-6, two of them playing chess and the others watching and laughing. Some of them were in their late fifty's up to their eighty's but all of them were talking and laughing. They smoked cigars and made fun of each other while they played.

When they had approached the men at the table had looked at them before bursting out a hello to Brie, obviously knowing her. They had invited them to join them right away, offering Brie and Archie a cigar. Archie declined, already having a smoke in between his lips but Brie had taken it with a smile.

"You weren't kidding about the old part." Archie muttered in Brie's ear as an older African American man guided her in the seat to play him next. He smiled as she made a scrunched up face with the too large cigar in her mouth. Brie was playing but not paying attention to the game, rather listening to the stories that the old men told about what had happened in the time that she was away "On business" she told them.

They told them stories…so many stories. Brie seemed to know who they were talking about though when they told her stories about old war buddies or children and grandchildren.

"Well," Archie said as they walked back to the car in the late evening. "That was…not what I was expecting."

Brie shook her head at him. "What were you expecting?" She asked him.

Archie shrugged. "I dunno…just not that."

Brie let out a little breath and turned to him as they walked. "Okay…people…they're not snow flakes Archie. There are only a few personalities in the world: Carefree and fun, troubled and brooding, oblivious or charming. It's not those things that make us unique. It's the details of how we experience life."

Archie frowned. "How are war stories from Nam going to help you run a con?"

Brie sighed. "You're looking at the big picture too much. It's not just about the plan. It's about the character. Those men out there, they want to tell their stories and I want to listen because they are full of details. The unique name of a granddaughter. A faded picture in a wallet with a quote written on the back. It's those little seemingly insignificant details that make a character believable. Think about it. Carnival Brie?"

Archie nodded, considering. "Those beads you always wore. Or your cards."

Brie smiled at him proudly. "Good. That whistle that 'Nadia' did every time she walked by you. They trigger a memory…a personal connection." She stopped walking. "People are interesting and if you can make them real…you might as well be god."

Archie pushed his tongue into the side of his cheek before stepping forward and kissing her hard. His tongue moved into her quickly, feeling her soft one stroke his back gently as he probed the confines of her sweet, soft mouth. He still didn't know what exactly it was about her. Sure she was beautiful and a bit devious but something about when she talked about this stuff was just such a turn on. He was pretty sure he was falling for something pretty close to god now.


	22. Chapter 22

**I know that the last chapter was short so I wanted to give you guys a longer one today with a little bit of everything. PLEASE review!**

**Chapter 22:**

If there was one thing that Archie wasn't it was subtle. He tried to be but everyone in this house as trained to notice things, so the little glances that he cast at Brie and the secretive smirks didn't go unnoticed. Still they were trying to be discreet. This was her father's house after all.

Brie bit her lip as she looked at herself in the mirror. In their efforts to be discreet Archie had been sneaking into her room at night instead of just outwardly staying. She had something special planned for tonight. He'd gotten the jump on her a few times, crawling into her bed and starting to do things to her while she was asleep or getting behind her in the kitchen like he had that morning. She was never one to not fight back.

She grinned evilly at the sexy, red underwear that cut just above her butt and matching lace bra she had dawned which she as pretty sure would be more suited for a heaven and hell party than her bedroom. It was odd being this person…her and not someone else. Grifter Brie could be anyone. Grifter Brie could wear something like this out on the street and walk like she was a goddess. Hell, she'd been close enough when she was stealing during Marti Gras. But with Archie she wasn't Grifter Brie. She was just….her. It made her feel more exposed than she was naked. She smiled to herself. She did have to admit that this looked pretty damned good though.

Hearing a quiet knock on her door as she shook her head and looked at her reflection again before pointing at it. "Don't blush." She told herself sternly before turning to the door. "Come in."

Her stomach sunk as the door opened and it wasn't Archie standing there but Alexander instead with a big grin on his face. Brie jumped over to the bed where her robe was laying and hurriedly put it on.

"Oh come on Brie! Don't put that on!" He whined playfully.

Brie tied the knot on her robe tight and glared at him. "What the hell Alex!? Its late!"

Alex shook his head and continued to look her up and down as if he could see through the black bathrobe. "I really hope you weren't wearing that for the kid. He'd piss himself." Alex joked.

Brie frowned. "He's not really a kid Alex. What do you want?" Alex gave her a little smirk. "My face is up here sweetheart." She reminded him, pointing at her eyes.

"Right…what do I want besides you to take that robe off right?" He chuckled. "Shooting range tomorrow morning. You're coming with me."

Brie crossed her arms over her chest and quirked an eyebrow. Man he was bossy sometimes. "No I'm not. You know I don't like guns and I'm going over the classic grifts with Archie tomorrow and setting up aliases for him."

Alexander rolled his eyes. "I've got to know Brie: what is it about him?" She frowned, her dark eyebrows knitting together when she didn't understand. Alexander stepped closer. "I'm more handsome, more confident…don't have a scar on my face. What is it about him that makes him so…magnetic to you?"

Brie sighed, her arms still crossed over herself defensively. She was thrown off balance in her own bed room. She's been waiting and open for Archie and now she had to slip into confident Brie again. "He's not a full fledged con artist. He's not like us." She told him.

Alexander shook his head and took a step closer to her but Brie didn't step back, not wanting to show weakness still. "See I would think that would make you more attracted to me than him." He murmured.

Brie narrowed her eyes up at him. "I don't want to be with someone else like us. You can never trust another con artist…never know for sure that they aren't playing you in some way. And people like us…" She shook her head down at the floor. "We're all too willing to stab each other in the back for personal gain. Archie wont do that. He's_ good_."

And she wanted to be good too. She wanted something more than jumping into bed with a hot grifter that she would have to sleep with one eye open next to. Even if she made Archie into the best con artist in the world, she would be building loyalty by being his teacher. She'd have one person in this world that she could trust completely.

"He's a man!" Alex laughed. "All men are con artists when it comes to pretty girls Brie."

Brie rolled her eyes. "Did you really want something or did you just come in here to peep and give me a lecture?" She spat.

Alexander gave a little chuckle. "Just think about it Brie…you know that your father is the only man in this world that you can really trust…and he trusts me so…" He ran his finger down her cheek as he said it.

She didn't flinch even though she wanted to but after a moment she turned her face away. "Get out." She told him solidly.

Alexander gave a little nod and stepped back. "When he hurts you Brie, it is us that will be here to pick up the pieces, help you cope…because like it or not, you are like us."

Archie watched as Alexander shut the door to Brie's bedroom and glanced over at where he was coming down the hall. "She's all yours kid." He said with a little smirk that made Archie frown.

Archie didn't like that guy…he didn't like him coming out of Brie's bedroom at midnight. He didn't like the way that his hand was always hovering over the small of her back when Archie came into a room. He just general didn't like _him. _

Going into Brie's room he glanced at her standing in her bathrobe with her arms crossed over her chest still. She starred at the hard wood floors, chewing on her bottom lip with an animalistic determination. "Brie?" He asked quietly as he closed the door and turned the lock, just like he always did.

Brie looked up at him and for a moment he thought he saw tears in her eyes but they were gone almost the instant he saw them. She released her bottom lip from the merciless gnawing of her teeth and practically ran over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest.

Archie timidly put his arms around her, unsure of what was going on. He rubbed her back lightly. "Hey…what's wrong? What did he say?"

Brie gulped down. "Nothing." She lied smoothly. Archie tightened his arms at the lie. "I've got a surprise for you." She told him with a little smirk, stepping away from him.

"Oh yeah?" He asked looking down at her now composed face. She was lying, she was holding something back.

"Um hum…go sit on the bed."

Archie bit the inside of his cheek and did as he was told, sitting on the edge of her bed…really at that point it was their bed. He slept in here near every night. He rubbed his hands on his sweat pant legs, slightly nervous as he watched her turn down the lights and turn back to him.

Slowly she untied the robe as she walked over to him. "Oh…holy…wow…" He muttered, feeling himself physically jerk to attention at the sight of the red underwear on her flawless little body. "Brie that's…holy shit." He finally stammered, his hands rising to reach out for her hips with a mind of their own. Crap, no girl had ever done that for him or looked that fucking amazing. Her flat stomach and smooth skin were memorizing.

His eyes ran up her body until they finally caught her face. It was confident, seductive…it was wrong. It was still sexy as hell but she was wearing that mask again. "I...just tell me what he said first." He muttered as his hands held her hips in front of him, ever moving fingers playing with the lace.

Brie frowned slightly before climbing into his lap. "Well if you want to talk…" She pulled the robe back around her and went to tie it back up.

"Stop." Archie breathed, moving his hands from her waist up to her face and stroking her cheek with his thumb. "Just stop being…this. Be you."

Brie furrowed her eyebrows slightly and looked down at her hands on his naked chest. "I don't know how to do that Archie." She finally told him. She could switch out of it any time but going back into it…that was something else. She'd been doing this for too long. She wished she was back at the carnival with him. Despite how messed up everything was, at least she was being herself with him then.

Archie looked at her softly. "Sure you do." He started to pull the robe back, pushing it off of her shoulders. "Just remember that it's me…" He murmured as his fingers ran from the hallow of her throat down her chest. "You can trust me." He muttered kissing his way back up it.

Brie closed her eyes and felt a little blush as he got to her face. She could trust him. Archie hadn't lied to her…not really. He was open with her and only her. For some fucked up reason he wanted the real her and not the confident sex goddess that she could fake being.

Archie smiled at her. "There you are." He murmured happily. Now he could enjoy this fully. Pulling her hair slightly he tilted her neck to the side and began kissing and sucking at it quickly. Her little nails bit into the skin of his shoulders and chest as her hips pressed down against his hardness. Her breasts in the red lace began to move quicker with her breaths and soft whimpers. Reaching down he pulled the cup down and rolled her nipple in between his fingers.

Brie fought through the wave of euphoria that was starting to rush over her to reach behind her and moved to unclasp the back of her bra.

Archies hand darted out and stopped her, grabbing her wrist and bringing it back around to their sides before running his larger hand into hers and weaving their fingers together. "Leave it on…" He muttered, ducking down to take her nipple into his mouth. "It looks amazing."

Brie bit into her lip as she tossed her head back at the sensations rocketing through her body, her hips pressing deeper against him and making him moan against her skin. Pulling his mouth away he turned them onto the bed, her legs wrapping around his sides.

He didn't think he could stand that much foreplay tonight, not after seeing her in that. He'd gotten hard as a fucking rock the moment he saw her in it. Sitting up from in between her legs he yanked his pants off quickly and awkwardly, making her smile and giggle slightly at his haste. Archie grinned and shook his head. He never thought he would ever enjoy that sound from a woman in bed but it was so unrestrained that it always made him smile.

He pulled the lace panties from her legs and tossed them to the side. Sitting back on his legs he looked at her laying in front of him, a smile on his face as he rubbed his chin as he contemplated what to do with her. Brie propped herself up on her elbows when she saw a wicked grin cross his face. He ducked down quickly to taste her, make sure she was ready for him. Her entire body shook the moment that his tongue ran along her. His large hands grasped her hips to hold them still as he circled his tongue around her just like he had done on her breast. Brie let out a gasp of pleasure as her head tilted back and eyes closed.

"Archie…"

He looked up as she whimpered his name and grinned against her. He was good at this. Her hips trying to move with him, under his hands, only confirmed that. He relaxed his grip and let her for a few more seconds before rising up and whipping off his mouth with the back of his hand. She was so sweet he could have done that forever, but he was so hard at this point that it was almost painful.

Brie smiled though her breaths and pulled him down by the back of the neck as he leaned over her. She could taste herself on his lips as he plunged into her and they both groaned into each others mouths. He was moving hard and quick, breathing deeply into her ear with each thrust and twist of his hips. Brie's mouth dropped open at the sensation as she put her arms above her head and braced her hands against the headboard to push back against him harder.

Archie groaned loudly at the feeling as her body pushed back against him. Angling himself up he gripped her hands on the oak and used it to push himself harder. Glancing down he saw her breasts fighting against the devilish red material, trying to free themselves with the momentum. He gasped at the sight of it. God it was amazing but he shouldn't have done that. It was hard enough to hold on as it was. "Shit Brie…I can't…" He gritted out.

Brie arched her back as her body tightened, a million sensations numbing her brain. The house could be burning down right now and she wouldn't have noticed. "Please keep going!" She pleaded, close to her peak.

Archie gritted his teeth and closed his eyes tight, trying to hang on as long as he could when he felt her legs tighten around him and her inner muscles clench murderously around his cock. She practically screamed at her release and he loved it…his dick definitely did as it emptied in side of her.

Archie placed kisses on Brie's shoulders, making her shiver and tighter her grip on his hands around her stomach. "So…aliases tomorrow right?" He muttered, voice weak.

Brie nodded as her head sunk onto the pillows with him wrapped around her back, legs twisting through hers. "Yeah. I have some that you're really going to think are funny. I've even got a Charlie for you."

Archie chuckled behind her, stroking her stomach with his fingers. "Why did you use your real name at the carnival?" He asked her softly, his lips still on her skin.

Brie closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into him. "The only time I use my real name is when I'm actually in hiding." She whispered into the dark. "No one knows it so what can it hurt?"

Archie pushed himself up slightly, looking down over her shoulder at her face. "That doesn't seem like the cautious Brie I know."

Brie smiled slightly. "It's the only time I get to be myself…got to be myself anyway." It was different now with Archie wrapped up in bed with her. Now she was herself as long as he was here too.

"Why?" He asked her curiously. "Just in case you met me there?" He asked cracking a grin.

Brie sighed and looked up at him leaning over her, turning slightly onto her back under him. "People are mostly found after they pull a big job. That's when they get offed. I guess if I get found…get killed, I want my real name on my headstone. I just want someone to know if they come looking for me." She paused. "I know no one will but…" She shrugged.

"I would." Archie found himself muttering, running his fingers from one shoulder, across her collarbones, to her other and then back again. He looked up at her face. "I will." Brie gave a little smile as she felt her heart warm under his words and that soft look in his eye. He smiled too and leaned down to kiss her lightly. "I love you." He whispered across her lips.

Brie opened her eyes in surprise. "Huh?"

Archie raised an eyebrow. He'd been prepared for her to push him away, laugh at him or be pissed. He'd even be prepared for her to call him 'Idiot'. He hadn't given too much thought to confusion though. "I said I love you." She still looked confused and he pushed his lips together in slight amusement as she seemed to be processing it. "Now you say you love me back…" He tried after a full minute.

Brie swallowed down. "I do…I think I do."

Archie frowned. "You think you do?" He asked her, pushing himself up on his hands over her.

Brie nodded. "I've never felt like this for anyone else before…not for real. I can fake it well enough but…yeah, I'm pretty sure I love you too." That had to be what this warm, insecure, naked feeling was right? It had to be what had hurt her when she had seen him going onto the House of Mirrors. It was the feeling she got when she heard about the explosion and instantly knew that he was in danger and she had to help. "Yes. I love you Archie."


	23. Chapter 23

**Okay guys…I am trying to move along with this story since people no longer are reviewing or seem to be interested so please let me know if you are. If not I can focus my efforts on something you all like more. **

**Melissa: Thank you for reviewing Babe. I hope that you survived Sandy. I feel so bad because my home town was practically demolished but I am down in Texas and it was all sunny and happy down here! **

**Chapter 23:**

3 Months later:

"So not cool!" Brie yelled at Alexander, drawing Archie and Jean's eyes up from where they were perfecting Archie's abilities to make fake id's.

Archie raised an eyebrow at Jean who just shrugged and went back to his whiskey. Archie hated the days and especially the nights where Alexander and Brie went out on a con. Sometimes they didn't come back for days and it made him nervous. This had been one of those times. She had been gone for four days with the other man.

"It needed to be done Brie!" Alexander yelled after her.

"No it didn't!" Brie yelled back as she stormed into the study, her neck and the top of her white dress covered in blood.

Archie jumped up and grabbed her arms, eyes running over her as she fumed at her partner. "Babe are you alright!?" He checked for cuts or bullet wounds but her only injury seemed to be to her self-control.

"I had it under control!" Brie yelled at him giving Archie a closed mouth kiss before her angry flamed.

Alexander shook his head, his own white button down shirt carrying the same discoloration as Brie's dress…which meant they were standing chest to chest with whatever was bleeding in between them, Archie deduced. "He had you made Brie! It was over!" Alexander tossed the briefcase to the floor. "At least this way we got the money."

"Fuck the money! Now there's a dead body!" She yelled at him.

"That no one can connect back to you two I hope." Jean put in, not bothering to rise from his chair.

Alexander resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Of course not. I'm not that sloppy."

"If you need to kill to get away than yeah, you are!" Brie hissed.

Alexander pushed Archie out of the way. "And what would you have done Brie? Slept with him to keep your damn cover?" Archie starred at Brie as Alexander got into her personal space, rubbing his lips with his fingers. "You're little boy toy here might have had something to say about that."

Brie narrowed her eyes at him dangerously. "First off, I'm not going to tell you again to stop calling him shit like that! Second, I do what I need to do to keep blood off my hands." She told him in a hiss. "I. Don't. Kill."

Alexander frowned. "Well you better get used to blood sweetheart. It might not be on your hands but its all over your perky little chest."

Her slap came hard across his face, popping his neck as his hand went flying to the side. "Next time you slit a throat in front of me when there is another way out, I will put your murderous ass six feet under myself." She told him in a low and threatening voice. She looked over at her father. "I need a fucking break from him." She told him before stomping off towards her room.

Alexander frowned and turned back to Jean and Archie, rubbing the back of his head. "What do you say lover boy? If you don't want her to have to fuck her way out of a jail sentence then talk some sense into her."

Archie frowned and looked towards the stairs. No, he didn't want her to have to do that. But he wasn't exactly sure he liked the idea of Brie as a killer either. The more time he spent around Jean and Alexander the more he realized that Brie was good because she did still hold onto a little bit of her humanity. He had always thought of his own emotions as a hindrance in a con but Brie played them well. Still he couldn't deny the fact that she would rather fuck someone else to get out of a tight spot then kill them made him nervous.

"I'll talk to her." He muttered, making his way towards the stairs.

Jean frowned and he and Alexander watched until they heard the bedroom door close a second time from Archie entering it. "You did it?" Jean asked him.

Alexander nodded. Yes he had given the mark her picture, taunting him slowly into noticing that his accounts were being drained, getting him to take the money out and into the silver briefcase that was now laying on the floor. He'd lurked in the shadows, waiting for Brie to make the move that needed to be made to get free. But she had talked and talked, that little voice cooing and moving like water over the man's ears. The sick part was that it had actually started to work. He had started to believe that little "Ana-belle" wasn't the one who was draining him dry; couldn't possibly be the one. He'd been about to let her go when Alexander had drifted out of the shadows and jammed the blade threw the back of his neck.

Jean grunted and looked back at the stairs. "I think I finally tracked down someone who might be able to help." Alexander raised an eyebrow in interest. "I'll make the arrangements."

Archie waited until she had turned the shower on before stripping down his own cloths and moving into the adjoining bathroom. He stepped over the blood covered dress and pulled the curtain back, stepping into the shower behind her.

Brie turned her head and sputtered some of the water away from her face. "Come on Archie…I'm all bloody." She reminded him.

Archie nodded slowly, watching the dried on red liquid dislodge itself away from her delicate skin and run in between her breasts then down her body. He ran his large hands over her to make sure it all came off, watching as her eyes closed and her hand reached out to hold onto his forearm. He turned her around so that she was facing the spray again, his arms wrapped around her as he kissed her neck and nuzzled his nose into it.

"Would you really have done it? Slept with him to get out?" He whispered into her skin. He always missed the taste when she was gone.

Brie closed her eyes and leaned her head back against his shoulder, wrapping an arm over his other shoulder and around his neck. "Would you rather have me do that or kill him?" She asked sadly. She didn't want to think about this right now. All she wanted to do was feel the warm body of the man that she loved against her after having to pretend to be happy with her mark.

"Neither." Archie muttered. "Or either as long as you come home to me." He couldn't wait until Jean said he was ready. He was ready now. He could be her partner and none of that shit would ever have to happen. He wouldn't have to worry about Alexander always looking at her either. He would have thrown Jean's lessons and talks to the wind if he wasn't so damned freaked out by the violent look that her father got in his eye from time to time.

Brie nodded slowly and pursed her lips together. "You think I'm too young to retire?" She joked in a weak voice.

Archie gave her a little squeeze and smiled. "Can you ever really retire from this life?" He asked.

He meant it to be rhetorical but she answered anyway. "Yeah. One big score, a new identity, a new place. I've personally always dreamed around being a bartender."

She smiled as he laughed. "You know most bartenders probably say they think about becoming other things." Archie told her.

"No way." Brie laughed as she ran her fingers along the now damp hair on the back of his neck and over his arms around her waist. "Just serve people drinks and listen to them telling you stories. It's perfect."

Archie closed his eyes and leaned his head down on top of hers. "Let's keep an eye out…I don't think it's that early for you to retire. You've been doing this your whole life. One big score…we can find that." He kissed the side of her head.

Brie smiled, closing her eyes and enjoying the fantasy along with his strong warm arms wrapped around her. "Yeah…one big score."

Archie nodded into her hair. "I'll do anything to get you away from that ass hole." He muttered, thinking about Alexander. "I don't trust him."

Brie nodded. "He says not to trust you." She whispered, half hoping that the running water would drowned it out.

Archie squeezed her tighter. "You can trust me Brie." He murmured.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

Alexander sighed as he pulled out of the brunette in front of him, rolling over to grab a smoke from the table next to the hotel bed. It was a nice hotel. When Jean put someone up he really did it well. Too bad his companion wasn't as good at her job as the staff at the hotel was. Her moans were too loud and stayed the same pitch and her body was just not to his liking. He wanted it to be tighter, smaller. He wanted the hair to be curlier and the face to be sweeter.

"God that took forever!" Melissa complained rolling over onto her back.

Alexander lit the smoke and glared at her. "Well, honestly hon, that was kind of like throwing a hot dog down a hallway."

Melissa rolled her eyes and grabbed the smoke away from him. She clearly still thought that she was cuter than she was because Alexander had the sudden urge to smack that generic sultry look off her face. "Give me a break. I just had a kid." She told him with an eye roll. "Besides its more like throwing a Vienna sausage." She leaned forward and grabbed her underwear to pull on. "So tell me about little old Archie and Brie." She told him.

Alexander sighed and leaned back on the head board. "They're in 'love'." He used his fingers to make the quotations around the world, rolling his eyes.

Melissa laughed. "Love? I mean Archie yeah…he was easy to get to fall in love. Hell I basically had him eating out of the palm of my hand in a day. But Brie…she should know better."

Alexander grunted. "Yeah she should but he's got her going with that whole regular guy thing. Really putting a damper into our plans."

Melissa licked her lips as she looked at his large fingers taking the smoke away from her. "Who's 'our'?" She asked him.

Alexander frowned. "You want to live you'll stop asking stupid questions that are none of your business 'Nadia'." He told her.

Melissa shrugged. "So what do you want me to do?" She asked him, getting up and shimmying her skirt up her legs with far more flourish than necessary.

Alexander shrugged. "Easy shit first. Pull him away from her. You've got a kid. Use it. I've already planted the seeds. He breaks her heart and she'll come running right back into my arms."

"And if he really doesn't want me because he's got her?" Melissa asked. "I mean I saw it at the carnival. Brie might be sentimental and think that she loves him but she if she could create those emotions unintentionally I can only imagine what she could do if she really loved someone."

Alexander rolled his eyes. "Don't be an idiot. There's no such thing as people who actually love each other. They're just waiting for the next big thing to come along. But if he doesn't go for it…get him killed. That will mess her up enough."

Never mind that it would drive Brie to hurt this woman and get rid of any evidence of their involvement. She'd run back to him and Daddy for comfort. Maybe she'd even learn to look at him the way that she looked at Archie and sometimes her father. Fuck he loved being good at his job.

* * *

Brie smiled as she looped her arm through Archie's as they walked down the street in New Orleans. It was getting close to Marti Gras and the stream of tourists made an all too tempting river for the grifter and pickpocket to slip into.

Archie leaned his head down to rub his nose against her cheek so that he could whisper in her ear without being taken notice of. "How about this one?"

Brie smiled at him, finding herself blushing at his lips touching her cheek. "Why him?" She whispered as his arm left hers and wrapped around her waist to pull her closer.

Archie rubbed his lips with his other hand and smiled at her. "Designer shoes but wore jeans…probably so that he can spill beer on them but still wants to look nice. Probably has a good amount of cash on him so he can buy drinks for pretty girls."

Brie laughed quietly. "You sure you're not projecting there Archie?"

Archie grinned against her cheek. "And he's from the north east so I get bonus points for him being a tourist."

"And how do you figure that?" She asked him.

Archie tapped his fingers on her hip. "Class ring from Princeton."

Brie smiled and shook her head. She was creating a monster. "Go get em tiger." She murmured with a smile before nipping his ear.

Archie grinning as he let his arm slip from her waist and put his smoke in between his lips as he stepped forward. He glanced at the man's back pocket where there was a bulge from his wallet. His expert fingers that she knew so well by now slipped into the man's back pocket. Brie let out a little smile as she saw it only to frown when he was bumped and the almost out wallet fell back. The man turned quickly to arch, clearly suspecting something that he rightfully should.

"You have something on your shirt." Brie said quickly. "Sorry he's a little OCD." She gave one of her innocent little smiles and it didn't take anything more to convince the man. "Want me to get it off?" She asked him.

"Um, sure," the man said as he turned his back to her again. Brie gave Archie a little nodded as she pulled a hair from her head and slowly went for the man's back. Right as she reached the man's lower shirt and gave it a tug she reached into his back pocket with the other and snagged the wallet, streaming it around her back and into Archie's hands before brushing off his sleeves. "Great shirt. You have fun tonight!" She told him with a wink as she held up the hair and dropped it to the ground.

"Thanks! You too sweetheart!" He called after them as they turned the other way.

Archie looped an arm over her shoulders. "You are so bad!" He told her with a hard kiss to her temple. He pulled the wallet back out as they walked. "300 bucks," He told her, counting through the 20's. "Back in the day that would have made me insanely happy."

Brie took the wallet and started looking at the pictures and receipts the man had in it with curiosity. "Why's that?" She asked him.

Archie gave a little half smile. Brie was raised to run a proper con. He was raised to pick pockets so that he could eat. Two totally different worlds that the normal people still thought were one. "Because 300 dollars meant that I could eat AND sleep in a bed for the night." He told her separating the bills and giving her half.

Brie smiled and refused them. "You can buy me drinks and dinner tonight with my share so we don't have to go home…and when we do you can save your money and sleep in my bed." Archie cocked an eyebrow at her. "I love marti gras." She told him with a bright smile and a hint of whimsy to her voice.

Archie smiled and looked over the ledge of the roof they were sitting on later that night. Brie's head was resting on his thigh as he smoked looking out over the crowds of people while they shared a bottle of bourbon.

Brie let out a little sigh and stretched, her head and heels digging down as her back arched over the concrete. Archie watch memorized again by the entire thing. "Why do you love marti gras anyway?" He asked her, tipping the bottle back against his own lips. "Doesn't seem like something your daddy would want you to partake in."

Brie smiled and shrugged. "A bunch of drunk hornry people bumping into each other and running around not knowing where they are spending their money? It's like grifter Christmas." She tilted her eyes further back to look at him as his strong neck worked while he took another chug from the bottle. "What you don't like it?" She asked.

"Oh I do…I did." He corrected. "I just…its still great for lining our pockets but there really isn't much point in picking up drunk girls down there when I could have a naked girl on a roof top right here." She laughed, making him smile and lean back on his hands to look out over the glowing street and the torrent of people moving through it happily. He frowned as he thought, just for a split second, he saw a familiar female face.

"Archie?" Brie frowned as she watched his eyes narrow and his eyebrows knit together. "Archie what is it?" She asked sitting up and snapping him out of his thoughts.

He looked at her before trying to find the woman he had seen in the street. "Huh?" He asked, handing her the bottle.

Brie looked out over the crowd. "You saw something…something that worried you." She said as she took a sip.

Archie shook his head and took the bottle back, taking a much longer drink and burning his throat. "I thought I did." He said hoarsely. "Don't worry about it. I was wrong." He smiled and leaned in, giving her a liquor coated kiss and making her laugh before dragging them both backwards to 'lay' on the roof.


End file.
